Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette The Calumet Elks Lodge donates a $2,500 check Thursday to the Houghton-Keweenaw County Department of Veterans Affairs towards a new van for transporting veterans for medical care. From left are Derek Parkinen, veterans service officer for Keweenaw County; Kendra Coppo, Elks trustee and grant writer; Amy Gregorsen, Disabled American Veterans van coordinator and office business manager; Joe Battisfore, veterans service officer at the Houghton-Keweenaw County Department of Veterans Affairs; Michael Bjorn, part-time veterans service officer; Vicky Myhren, Elks trustee; David Sladek, second vice president of Michigan Elks; and Steve Jones, exalted ruler of the Copper Country Elks.

CALUMET — Each day, a van makes the 250-mile round trip to take local veterans to the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain.

The current van, parked outside the Elks Lodge No. 404 in Calumet Thursday, has logged more than 200,000 miles in four years.

Some help in replacing it came Thursday, when the lodge presented a $2,500 check to the Houghton-Keweenaw County Department of Veterans Affairs.

“The van is there for three counties — Houghton, Keweenaw and Baraga,” said board member Gene LaRochelle. “So for us, it’s very gratifying to have the support of the Elks.”

The donation came via a grant from the Elks’ national foundation. Along with special needs children, veterans are one of the most important causes for the Elks, said Steve Jones, exalted ruler of Lodge No. 404.

“As long as there are veterans, we’ll never forget them,” said David Sladek, second vice president for Michigan Elks.