Wheelchair-accessible van donated to Mississippi Veterans Home in Collins

COLLINS, Miss. (WDAM) - Friends of Mississippi Veterans donated a brand-new, passenger van to the Mississippi Veterans Home in Collins Wednesday morning

The donors are thrilled to be able to give them such a large donation, as they have worked with them for many years.

“I remember when we felt good to come up here and give them a cap as a gift on Veterans Day just to honor them,” Jack Winstead said.. “Now, that we can do this, the gentleman (who) has to go to the hospital this afternoon told me how he was looking forward to going in this new van because the others that handle wheelchairs and all is almost an impossible chore,”

The $80,000 van will be used to take residents to doctor’s appointments, events around the city or even a trip to the local grocery stores.

“As you might imagine, our residents here are veterans later on in their age,” said Ray Coleman, Mississippi Veterans Association director of communications. “So, they have various appointments that they need to meet, not just their medical appointments, but their benefits appointments as well.

“So, we’re just grateful to Friends of Mississippi Veterans for their great support. They have been a fierce supporter of not just this veterans home in Collins, but to all four of our veteran’s homes since they started in 2007.″

The Friends of Mississippi Veterans are now working to donate passenger vans to other veteran-assisted living homes in Mississippi. This was the first van the group had donated.

Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2023 WDAM. All rights reserved.