Murphy – It’s been over a year since local veterans have been able to get transportation to the VA hospital and clinic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, vans started back up last week.
Jack Moody, coordinator of the Disabled American Veterans Transportation Network, said Cherokee County has two vans that travel daily to Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville or the VA Clinic in Franklin for local veterans to use.
The service has been in place since the mid-1990s and is available for all local U.S. military veterans.
Moody said the service is funded partially by the county and partially from local veteran organizations such as Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7620, American Legion Post 96, DAV Chapter 73 and Marine Corps League Detachment 1011.
The requirement to ride on the van is to schedule appointments at the hospitals between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and make arrangements for travel.
Moody said the DAV Transportation Network is seeking volunteer drivers. For details, please call 828-379-2981.