PICTOU – When Dennis Chipman looks in the rearview mirror and sees the grins of delight on the faces of the veterans that have piled aboard a new bus purchased recently for the Northumberland Veteran’s Unit, it makes all the work it’s taken to get to this point worthwhile.
“This just means everything to the guys,” says Chipman, the recreation director at the Northumberland Veteran’s Unit. “It’s just amazing to know we were able to play a part to help them gain more quality of life and go on outings.”
Chipman, who got his licence to drive the bus last week, says the veterans have already taken a handful of rides on the bus since it arrived in late January.
“Just last Friday, I took two of the guys out for a drive, just because they wanted to go,” Chipman said.
“Now, if they want to go visit, they can do it. If they want to go somewhere, we can take them.”
The bus was a long time coming, however. It was June 2007 when the committee made up its mind to start raising funds to purchase a new bus for the Northumberland Veteran’s Unit. An estimated $113,000 needed to be raised to purchase the new wheels, but the committee wasn’t daunted at all.
“We were steadfast – we wanted to get these fellows a bus to enhance their lives,” Chipman said. “It was a real community project – everybody, every business, donated. We never gave up one bit. We fundraised, sold tickets on a basket, even the school children got involved.”
Hundreds of county residents and businesses donated. It took nearly two years, but a personal donation of $10,000 from veteran Garfield Slater’s family finally put them over the top. Slater, who resides in the unit, will be able to make full use of the bus.
“This is a victory for the men of the unit,” Chipman said. “Any time they want to go – they’ll go.”
