Veterans Place van campaign progressing

Campaign chair grateful for support, says focus is now on business community

A fundraising initiative to provide a new vehicle for Veterans Place in Yarmouth is going well, having surpassed the $ 60,000 mark, says campaign chairman Don McCumber.

The goal is $104,000. The funds will be used to purchase a new van for Veterans Place, the longterm care facility that is part of the Yarmouth Regional Hospital complex. The existing Veterans Place vehicle is 17 years old. Given its age and the cost of keeping it maintained, a fundraising effort was launched to acquire a new one.

As part of the campaign, the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Yarmouth (branch 61) held a motorcycle ride/scavenger hunt on Aug. 11 that had close to 60 entries and raised $3,000.

Branch 61 and branch 155 (Wedgeport) teamed up for a bake sale, another recent activity to support the Veterans Place van campaign.

Donations continue to come in, McCumber said, with the focus now on the business community.

Referring to the campaign in general, he said, “I think things Brenda Hattie, president of Royal Canadian Legion branch 61 in Yarmouth, and Don McCumber, chair of the Zone 12 legion committee raising funds for a new vehicle for Veterans Place in Yarmouth. The goal is to raise $104,000 in order to replace the long-term care facility’s existing vehicle, which is 17 years old. are going well, especially with many of the other fundraising events that have been going on in the local area. There have been quite a number, so, keeping that in mind, I would say we’ve done very well in getting our share towards the van thus far.”

Legion branches in Zone 12 are doing their part and support for the campaign also has come from some municipal units.

(Zone 12 consists of five legions in Yarmouth and Shelburne counties. McCumber is a former Zone 12 legion commander who now serves as district commander for an area covering 14 legions from Yarmouth to Chester. He stayed on to chair the Veterans Place van campaign after assuming his new role as district commander.)

“We’ll continue approaching businesses and – hopefully through the business sector and with the continual donations from individuals – we’ll hit the (fundraising) target,” McCumber said. “It may take a little longer due to the fact that other organizations are raising funds.”

That different groups are holding fundraisers is a reflection of the ongoing need to support various worthy causes, he said.

To those who have contributed to the Veterans Place van campaign, McCumber says he extends a big thank you.

“It’s been appreciated by the legion members and especially the veterans,” he said. “I do thank those people.”

“I think things are going well, especially with many of the other fundraising events that have been going on in the local area. There have been quite a number, so, keeping that in mind, I would say we’ve done very well.”

— Don McCumber