The Knoxville Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans is in the process of raising $80,000 to landscape and pave a parking lot at the Ben Atchley State Veteran’s Home on Coward Mill Road. They are asking for the public’s help in the endeavor.

This is just one of the many services that DAV Chapter 24 provides. Regularly, volunteers drive vans provided by Ford Motor Company, to transport disabled veterans to area hospitals, doctors’ offices, and on other necessary trips, “We also assist veterans by providing wheelchairs, motorized wheelchairs, and other medical equipment and in some cases financial assistants to those who request it and are qualified,” Garrett Hanas current Commander of Chapter 24 told The Knoxville Journal. 

Cmdr. Hanas said,  “Recently, Knoxville Sam’s Club, 8435 Walbrook Dr., made a $1,000 donation to Chapter 24.

“One hundred percent of all donations go towards helping the veterans,” he added, “The DAV does not hire solicitors.” Chapter 24 operates solely on donations. “We get no taxpayer money,” he added.

Presently, Chapter 24 is seeking donations and having various fund drives to raise the $80,000 for the parking lot at the Ben Atchley Hospital. Presently, parking is limited and the project would add 80 to 90 more parking spaces for veterans, visitors and employees. Daily, cars line the entrance which makes entering and exiting difficult.

Some upcoming events of the Knoxville DAV include:

• On Nov. 9, the DAV Chapter 24 will be an integral part of  the annual Veteran’s Day Parade. Veteran’s Day is Nov. 11. “We want this to be the longest parade in Knoxville.”
• On Sept. 24, 5,000 DAV bikers will convene at South College from 6 to 8 p.m.
• On Nov. 12, the Monday following Veteran’s Day, Military Appreciation Monday is a salute to military heroes by Golden Corral Restaurants across the nation. The restaurants offer hundreds of thousands of veterans free meals.  Clinton ROTC will volunteer to serve at the Knoxville event.

The Knoxville DAV Chapter 24 is a group of over 850 former military veterans in the Knoxville area. Any veteran in need should call (865) 689-7789 to find out if they qualify for assistance, or to find out how to make donations.

DAV Departments and Chapters collect donations throughout the year in various high traffic locations to serve veterans in their communities.

For more information about the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 24, phone (865) 689-7789 or
visit the website www.davmembersportal.org/chapters/tn/24/default.aspx

Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes provide skilled nursing care for veterans at three locations in Tennessee. The facilities are located in Humboldt, Knoxville, and Murfreesboro and the executive offices are in Murfreesboro. The facilities are governed by the Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes Board.

Tennessee State Veterans’ Home in Knoxville is one of three Veterans’ Homes throughout Tennessee serving our veterans with skilled nursing care needs such as emotional counseling, bathrooms with safety features, 24-hour registered nurse coverage, full-time activity director, planned individual activities, daily housekeeping and laundry services, daily laundry services, confidential assistance with forms and correspondence, assistance with shopping, voter registration, full-time social service director, certified therapists, modified diets, individual and family participation in care plans, whirlpool bathing system, diabetic care, wound and nutritional therapy.

In addition to those services, the facility also offers physical therapy to improve or restore the ability to walk and improve overall strength, flexibility, coordination and mobility, occupational therapy to assist the veteran in managing daily living activities such as dressing, grooming, and feeding, speech therapy to improve verbal and non-verbal means of communication. Ongoing treatments are provided for residents with swallowing disorders caused by injuries or illness and restorative care to maintain the resident’s highest level of functioning in all three levels of rehabilitation.

By Wes Hall & Doug Stucky