" It takes a 'nationwide' Village " !

Vans for Veterans group reaches fundraising goal

By Celinda Emison / emisonc@reporternews.com
July 14, 2006

Donations from the community, the VFW, local businesses and supporters nationwide added up to success for the campaign to raise money for veterans vans in Brown County.
On Thursday, Keith King, commander for VFW Post 3278, announced that $45,200 has been collected to purchase two vans to take veterans to medical appointments in Waco and Temple.
''The VFW post voted Wednesday night to donate $3,400, which brought us to our goal,'' King said.
However, reaching the goal is bittersweet, King said. When the group decided to begin the campaign in March, bids were solicited from a local dealership on prices to order the vans from the factory.
''Those were factory prices from 2006, and now the 2007 models are out, so we aren't sure what the cost will be, but we believe it will be more than $45,000,'' King said.
The vans must be ordered from the factory because of specific requirements by the Veterans Administration, which will license, insure and maintain them.
King said he will be sending letters to area dealers seeking bids on the vans.
''We will continue our fund-raising efforts,'' King said. ''But if we end up with more than enough, whatever we have left over will go to help the veterans.''
The vans are used by veterans in nine counties: Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Mills, Runnels, San Saba and McCulloch.

Vans for Veterans
How to help: Mail checks made payable to the VFW Shuttle Fund to Bank of America, 1 Center Ave., Brownwood, Texas 76801.
For more information: Call Cookie James at the Brownwood VA Memorial Clinic, (325) 641-0568, Ext. 58614 or at (325) 642-4264

source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_local/article/0,1874,ABIL_7959_4843189,00.html