LIBERTY, NY — For some veterans, getting around in Sullivan County is a problem. The Veterans’ Administration provides transportation from two pick-up points in Sullivan County but it’s difficult for some vets to get to those locations.

Thanks to students at BOCES the vets have a new van, which will be used to help get them to move around the county. The van was an out-of-service 2000 Ford E350 ambulette donated by Albee Bockman, owner of MobileMedic EMS, to the Sullivan County Veterans Coalition.

The coalition approached Sullivan County BOCES about refurbishing the van. The job was done by BOCES students who are part of the Auto Body Program at the Career & Tech Center, under the guidance of BOCES instructor Fred Muller.

Jack Bodolosky, secretary of the coalition, said, “The van will be used to help vets get to doctor appointments or other appointments, or just to get out for the day. We have so many vets in our adult care and rehabilitation centers, that just giving them the opportunity to get out for the day to enjoy a meal or run an errand is giving the gift of freedom and mobility.”

For the students, the van was a labor of love and learning. Because the van was in rough shape, they worked hard on the inside and outside to prep it for finishing. Once the parts were fabricated and the van was painted, the students finished it with custom-made vinyl lettering and the Veterans Coalition’s logo, which has the quote “All Gave Some, Some Gave All.” “Learning what that saying truly means, ‘All gave some, some gave all’ really moved me,” said Daphnie Dalman, a student at Fallsburg High School.

The operation of the vehicle will be financed mainly through private donations, although the county legislature has agreed to provide routine maintenance.