Wednesday, during the monthly meeting of Vets to VA Clinics, Chuck Olson on behalf of the American Legion Post 378 presented a check for $2,000 to the Veteran’s Memorial Foundation (VMF) for the Vets to VA Clinics program. Santa Rosa County Commissioner Don Salter, president of the VMF, said the VMF operates as three different entities: Vets to VA, which identifies veterans who need transportation to the Veterans Affairs clinic in Pensacola and transports them through Pensacola Bay Transportation, Veterans Assistance, which provides quality of life essentials like wheelchair ramps or heaters to veterans in need, and the Veterans Memorial Plaza, which means monitoring the plaza itself and providing upkeep. Salter also said Vets to VA provides transportation only for those who have none, and only for health needs between Santa Rosa County and Pensacola. During the meeting, Joanne Landgraff with Pensacola Bay Transportation said in June 42 trips were booked from the 64 registered veterans. Olson said the money given to the transportation program came from fundraisers by the American Legion Post 378 out of Gulf Breeze. “We’ve tried to commit to $1,000 every quarter,” he said. Olson said the American Legion does what it can for local vets through its four pillars: supporting veterans, their families, veteran rehabilitation, and educating America’s youth.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Veteran transportation program receives $2,000