POTSDAM – The Disabled American Veterans is recruiting drivers for their vans that take veterans who might have no other way to get to medical appointments around the North Country and in Syracuse.

The need is acute in the Potsdam-Canton area, according to the DAV recruiters.

A recruitment day is set for Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. at the VFW Post 1194, 95 Market St.

The DAV has been providing this service for more than 30 years. It is free despite the cutoff of funds by Congress more than 20 years ago.

The program in the North Country has a special need for drivers because of the relative lack of nearby comprehensive veterans’ medical services and the distances that have to be covered between North Country communities and services in places like Syracuse.

“This may lead to many veterans not being able to get the medical care they need,” said Joe Schneider of Central New York DAV. “With so many disabled veterans living on small fixed incomes, travel costs often give way to shelter and food. Health needs are sacrificed for everyday necessities.”

The Potsdam-area program was very active until the last couple of years, with several vans based in Potsdam going flat out on transport assignments.

The man who started up Potsdam’s program, Vietnam-era veteran and former Potsdam DAV President Richard LaPage, died last year.

Speaking about the program in 2003, LaPge said “the federal government doesn’t put in one cent. It’s the DAV chapters and the community at large” that make the program work. “The program wouldn’t exist without them.”

He said at the time that an economic slump and a lack of adequate insurance for some vets caused a jump in requests for aging veterans who couldn’t afford the transportation themselves even if they could make the drive.

It is not a big stretch to imagine that more veterans might be in difficult straits now.

DAV’s William Gleason, who along with Schneider will be at the Potsdam VFW, said drivers need to be at least 21 years old with a clean driving record.

They, as representatives of the CNY DAV Transportation Network, will be on hand to talk about the critical needs of this service and how volunteer drivers can play a vital part in getting veterans the medical care they deserve.

For more information, be at the VFW Sunday, Feb. 28 or contact Bill Gleason, the Regional DAV Recruiter, at 315-425-4343.