The DAV van in Aroostook County makes sure area veterans don’t have to cancel their doctor’s appointments in Togus due to a lack of transportation. In addition to making those appointments, veterans also make a friend or two along the way.
Jeffrey Harvey is an active driver with the DAV. With four regular volunteers assigned to the area DAV van, Harvey is one of two volunteers from the small township Cross Lake, the other being Doug Roberts. Dana Cyr of Caribou is the third full-time volunteer driver, and long-time driver Ray Dalton of Washburn chips in with part-time assistance.
The four give their time to the nonprofit transportation service, but there wouldn’t be a DAV van without financial donations that keep tires on the road and fuel in the tank.
Without donations, veterans who utilize the DAV services would have to rely on family members or friends to get to and from Togus — which is a four to five hour drive one way.
“We’re here to provide transportation for those individuals who can’t get there or are having a problem getting there,” Harvey said.
His volunteer days start at 3 a.m., picking up veterans at predetermined locations to get them downstate in time for morning appointments.
Harvey says Togus is really good about helping the veterans squeeze in to their appointments early — but some Togus staffers have told Harvey he’s crazy for putting so many long, unpaid days.
“There’s a reason for doing this, and it’s not for money,” he explained. “It’s because (we) want to pay it back — or pay it forward.”
“We’re veterans,” he added, “and we need to help our fellow veterans — especially these younger ones coming in.”
Driving anywhere from one to eight veterans down for care on a twice-weekly trek, Harvey sees mostly former service men and women who span the 60-85 years old range. Many veterans routinely utilize the services provided through the DAV, and Harvey has made good friends with some of them over the years.
“There are a lot of aspects to driving,” said the retired truck driver. “Sometimes you’re a counselor, sometimes you’re a medic, sometimes you’re just a good friend.”
There have been some scary moments, but most of the time it’s a fun and rewarding experience.
“My grandfather always said when you think you’ve got it bad, just stop and look around — because there’s a lot of people who are a lot worse off,” Harvey explained.
But Harvey also knows that some veterans deserving of services — like rides to and from Togus in the brand new DAV van — abstain from using services because they want to make sure there are enough resources for their fellow veterans.
“That’s a philosophy that some of them have I can’t say that’s wrong because I think I had it myself back in the 70s,” Harvey said. But Harvey wants veterans to know that the services aren’t a handout.
“It’s yours, you earned it, you deserve it,” he emphasized. “The VA system is not welfare — it’s a benefit that you earned and they’re just paying back what they need to.”
That’s a message he’s trying to get out because while some do know that they can catch a ride to Togus with the DAV on Monday and Thursday, Harvey says the majority of veterans in the area don’t know about the services.
“I’m still picking up new people, older gentlemen and ladies, who say ‘wow, I never knew this was available,’” He described.
One of the many hats Harvey wears on his trips down to Togus, the DAV volunteers are a great resource for veterans who have questions about the services available for them.
“A lot of time when you’re dealing with the government, you have to know the right dialogue and you have to ask the right questions,” he explained. Multiple times, Harvey has been able to help veterans find solutions to their problems utilizing the collective knowledge of fellow veterans who’ve been there.
Harvey himself began donating his time and skills after volunteer and veteran Joseph Martin approached him about becoming a driver.
“He was a veteran who lived in Limestone, and he had (volunteered) for literally years — maybe 15 or 20,” Harvey described.
It was Martin’s encouragement that led to Harvey’s involvement with the DAV.
While Martin has passed, the active volunteer is still logging miles with the group … in a way.
The brand new van is dedicated to him, his service to his country and his service to fellow veterans.
Additional information about the DAV can be found by visiting me.dav.org.
