ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — Veterans have sacrificed a lot to serve our country. Thankfully, there are VA clinics throughout the state to get them the services they need.
However, there's not one in every city or county. It can be hard to get to the Veteran's hospital or doctor's office.
A new service is starting next week in Rockingham County to help transport Veterans to the VA in Kernersville.
The caravan is being offered by the Aging, Disability, & Transit Services and it's completely free of charge.
The van includes a chair lift and will leave from Eden, Reidsville, and Mayodan Walmart's every Monday several times a day and fellow Veterans like Mark Tolodiecki will be behind the wheel.
"It's a chance to give back to the community, to give back to Veterans, those who serve, to serve them. It's a positive, tangible way to say thank you to those who served. So, I'm excited to get to know some. Being a Veteran myself, I'm excited to get to know some of the stories and relating to them on a one-to-one basis," Tolodiecki explained.
Executive Director Cathy Powers said volunteers used to take Vets to their appointments but a lot of that stopped during the pandemic.
Recognizing the need and how expensive it can be for vets to hire someone to drive, the program was born.
"A lot of our local veterans have had to rely on private transportation that they privately purchased through other vendors which can be quite costly. So, we know when you're just trying to go see your doctor to get your blood pressure medicine filled, it's not something that's easily accessible if you're having to pay those high private pay charges," Powers said.
Powers said the caravan is funded for the next three years with American rescue plan money.
They will take their first trip Monday, March 20.
Spots are still available; Call the RCATS VA Caravan reservation line at 336-347-2287 ext. 232 or 224