One political party had a good week. This athlete did well and earned an enormous bonus. That celebrity actor had a great movie and made millions. This business had record profits.
Do you know who really did well? You did. Yes, you — the readers of this newspaper. You actually made something real happen, something tangible. You made life better for some aging, and sometimes hurting, American heroes — veterans of the wars in which men and women answered our call and served this nation with bravery, honor and distinction.
And you did it out of the goodness of your heart. You did it with empathy and from something noble that only a select few could ever understand. You did it for a purpose greater than yourself. Your thoughts were on others and making a small corner of the world a better place. You succeeded in a uniquely American fashion.
And for that, you have earned deep gratitude; from this writer, from the volunteers with the Disabled American Veterans and from the veterans themselves.
There is a van that transports South Hillsborough veterans, mostly from Sun City Center, Kings Point and Ruskin, to the James A. Haley VA Hospital in Tampa. The veterans are unable to drive themselves — they served and protected us and our nation and it is now incumbent upon us to return a service to them in their time of need. The DAV does just that, all on a limited budget, helped along with a small group of volunteers.
The van, however, was in rough shape. It was once decorated in American colors, but those colors had long since faded and were peeling off. It also lacked handholds necessary for disabled veterans to help themselves into the van, thus requiring the volunteers to pull or perhaps push them into the seats. These are men and women of honor and distinction; they don’t want help if they are able to help themselves. A simple handhold was all that was needed.
Unfortunately, there was no money available to restore the vehicle to the honor of America’s colors, nor was there money for a handhold. All of the money allocated to the DAV was needed simply to keep the van running and for gas. There was nothing left over, except for small amounts tucked away here and there for when the day arrived when that van would no longer run.
One volunteer in particular, Herb Silbert of Sun City Center, thought that the veterans he, as a driver, came to know, deserved better. He contacted The Observer News.
And then you stepped forward — mostly anonymously — and you fixed it.
To those who helped, to those who wished they could help: Bravo! And thank you.
Today, the van is gleaming: red, white and blue. There is a sturdy handrail that allows the veterans the dignity to help themselves get seated in for their rides to the hospital. What you have accomplished is simply beautiful and wholly respectful — to both the nation and to those who served the nation.
You wouldn’t know that it was the same van,” Herb Silbert said as he slowly walked around, pointing out the new look and demonstrating the new handrail. “People donated the money for this,” he continued, almost in disbelief. “They bolted this bar in so when the guys get into the van they can hold it and pull themselves in. It works just perfectly. People pitched in to do this!”
When Silbert told his story several months ago, he didn’t really know what to expect — but he didn’t expect the outpouring of support that you provided. Nor did he expect a number of new volunteer drivers who signed up to take some of the pressure off the small group of existing volunteers like himself. Silbert is himself a veteran, and, although not a member of the DAV, he is still serving today as volunteer driver.
The drivers have a schedule, picking up veterans in the morning, making the long trek to the VA Hospital in Tampa and then waiting for all of them to finish their appointments. And then they drive them back home again.
“This is a matter of respect and dignity,” he added. “People really pitched in and made this happen. These guys deserve this, they served.”
As the van rolls down I-75, time marches on. The veterans are no longer just from World War II, increasingly they are veterans from the war in Vietnam.
It’s human decency to give them this, this beautiful van, to give them that bar to grab onto, to help them get into this thing,” Silbert said. “Some of these guys need that help, a few of them are younger than me.”
To you, the readers who made such a difference, John McQuaid, the van dispatcher with the DAV Chapter 110, wanted to share a few words of thanks: “All of our volunteers appreciate your efforts to restore and equip our van to proudly represent the honor due to our service members,” he wrote. “Due solely [to you], we were able to do all of the work we wanted to do without having to take money out of the Van Replacement Fund that we have collected from past efforts.”
McQuaid also added that a late contribution from the Little Manatee Fishing Club, whose members donated in recognition of the volunteer efforts by the Valencia Lakes Military Veterans Club, provided the last needed funds to finish the restoration in September.
The DAV Shuttle Service transports veterans from South Hillsborough to the VA Hospital each weekday morning without charge to the veterans. For many it is a vital lifeline to the medical care they need.
And the van that you helped to restore demonstrates both the pride and dignity of America, while allowing American heroes the dignity they so richly deserve and have earned with unique distinction.
Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for supporting our veterans. In a world of great need, you have accomplished something tangible and meaningful, something that is appreciated with each passing day. Many veterans ask for little but deserve so much, many need our help now. You answered their call.