GRANT AWARDED — Pictured, from left, Roy Davis, VFW; Merlin Simmons, driver; Tomas R. Sanchez Jr., Kleberg County Veterans Service Officer, Rachel Utley, administrative assistant; Romeo Lomas, Kleberg County Precinct 4 Commissioner; VFW, Juan Escobar, Purple Heart Association; Eliseo Cuevas, Disabled American Veteran; Eddie Moreno, VFW, and Rolando Chapa, DAV. The van was detailed by Ben Saigon. (Photo by Erika Hernandez) The Kleberg County Veterans Office was awarded a $10,000 grant by the Texas Veterans Commission recently to help with maintenance, gas and repairs for their office’s van services.

“Kleberg County was the only county out of all 254 Texas counties that applied and was approved for this grant,” Kleberg County Veterans Service Officer Tomas R. Sanchez Jr. said.

The van service got its start in 2004 when the veterans office petitioned the City of Kingsville and Kleberg County to purchase a van for their services. The van, which cost around $29,500, was then purchased by the city and county, each paying half the cost.

In 2005, Kleberg County authorized and began paying for a part-time driver, Merlin Simmons, Vice Commander of American Legion Post 99, to provide services for veterans 20 hours a week.

The van, which holds seven and is handicap accessible for wheelchairs, is available for veterans’ services such as a doctor’s appointment.

“The van is used to take veterans to the Veterans’ Affairs Outpatient Clinic or the Naval Hospital in Corpus Christi,” Sanchez said.

“All veterans have to do is call 24 hours in advance of their appointment and Mr. Simmons will pick them up, drive them, then bring them back.”

Kleberg County Precinct 4 Commissioner and Korean War veteran Romeo Lomas deserves credit for the grant’s development,” Sanchez said.

“Mr. Lomas’s commission was instrumental in this process and we are very thankful to him,” Sanchez said.

“We would also like to thank Rachel Utley, Veterans Service Office Administrative Assistant, for her help in researching and gathering facts from our logs and other documents to prepare for the grant package.”

The Texas Veterans Commission has already awarded the first installment of $2,500 and the rest of the money is to be distributed quarterly throughout the year, Sanchez said.