Veterans in DeKalb County now will have a free ride to Veteran’s Affairs hospitals.

The county, with the help of a state tax-amnesty program, is funding veterans’ transportation to hospitals for $35,000 over the next year.

County board member Steve Slack (D-Sycamore) said the fund will provide transportation by the Voluntary Action Center for DeKalb veterans to hospitals outside of DeKalb County.

“This fund was created so that they can ensure that every veteran in this county can get on-demand, door-to-door medical assistance at veterans’ hospitals,” Slack said.

Veterans are guaranteed health care at VA hospitals, but the nearest one is in Maywood, Slack said.

“A lot of veterans are older. There are many that are indigent and they have no money or family left,” he said. “Many have no way to get there.”

With about 17,000 veterans in DeKalb County, Slack said he expects about 20 veterans to use the service each month. He said he anticipates the number to grow because all veterans are eligible for the free service.

“I’m just very happy that the veterans are going to have this service in DeKalb County,” Slack said. “This is something that was needed, and it’s something that I’m proud to have been able to sponsor and work through the county board.”

“To me, giving this kind of service to people who need to get immediate medical attention is particularly important,” said county board member Eileen Dubin (D-DeKalb).

Harold Overton, commander of American Legion Post 66, said he thinks two or three of the Legion’s 223 members may use the service each month.

Overton said the program will be a benefit to the families who originally had to take days off work to assist veterans in getting to a hospital.

“DeKalb and Boone Counties are probably the only two counties in northern Illinois that had no veterans’ assistance at all,” Overton said. “We have an excellent chance to move forward with this; it’s a great first step. It’s a one-time funding, and we’re going to be looking for funding all the way across so it doesn’t die out on us. The needs will become more and more as our troops come home now.”

Overton said veterans will continue to need the service as World War II and Korean War veterans age.

Tom Zucker, executive director of VAC, said the center has been providing transportation for veterans for more than 30 years, but demand has outgrown its resources.

“We haven’t been able to meet all the needs and have had to turn away requests for rides for veterans and others for these medical appointments,” Zucker said. “The funds will help us to meet the needs that we have not been able to meet up until now.”