Staff from the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center are shown accepting a vehicle donated by Town & Country Sales for transporting veterans for medical appointments. From left are OGJVAMC Chief of Staff Dr. Victor Quijano, OGJVAMC Medical Center Director Dr. John P. Shealey, Town & County Sales staff and Air Force veteran Eva Pickett, Town & County Sales owner Steve Juul and OGJVAMC Chief of Voluntary Service and Public Affairs Katie Maxon. (Photo provided by OGJVAMC)

IRON MOUNTAIN – Vehicle-deer collisions are a way of life in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, often causing significant long-term inconvenience to drivers while they wait for repairs.

However, thanks to a generous donation from Town & Country Sales, veterans at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center will continue to receive access to free transportation to medical appointments without waiting.

The Veteran Transportation Network is a volunteer-led network that provides free transportation for veterans from their local area to the Iron Mountain VA Medical Center for scheduled medical appointments. This network is supported by vehicles donated to VA through the Disabled American Veterans grant program. The grant program allows local veteran service organizations to partner with the national DAV office to purchase DAV vehicles at a reduced rate and donate them to VA for VTN use.

The OGJVAMC maintains nine DAV donated vehicles across the catchment area, which includes the entire Upper Peninsula and nine counties in northern Wisconsin. More than 125 volunteers help transport veterans more than 150,000 miles annually.

In such a rural area, collisions with wildlife are inevitable. The Marquette area DAV vehicle recently sustained significant damage and will be out of commission for a few months to receive needed repairs.

In an effort to keep the voluntary veteran transportation fully functioning, the OGJVAMC reached out locally to Town & Country Sales for a possible donation.

“We wanted to honor one of our own, Len Reed, U.S. Navy veteran and fellow Town and County Sales employee, as well as all veterans, with this donation,” dealership owner, Steve Juul said. “We are happy to help!”

“As a result of this donation, not one veteran will miss an appointment,” said Michael Sekely, volunteer DAV driver from the Marquette area. “It’s just amazing how the community supports our efforts.”

The vehicle will be used to provide transportation from the Marquette area to the Iron Mountain VAMC while extensive repairs on the Marquette DAV vehicle are underway. Once completed, the donated vehicle will be used to support other DAV areas when their vehicles need repairs or required maintenance.

The vehicle also offers the Iron Mountain DAV an opportunity to possibly add additional transportation options for veterans to appointments in Green Bay or Menominee, a frequent request, once the Marquette vehicle is repaired.

“We cannot provide care for veterans in a vacuum,” said OGJVAMC Medical Center Director Dr. John P. Shealey. “We are beyond grateful for the support and generosity shown to us from local business owners like Town and Country Sales who help us support access to care for veterans.”

For more information on volunteering for VTN or donating to the OGJVAMC, contact Voluntary Services at 906-774-3300, ext. 32780.