For a group of veterans in the Brazos Valley, the charge to keep helping fellow veterans has not died.

The local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans drives disabled veterans back and forth to doctor's appointments, some as far away as Waco and Temple. They put a lot of miles on the lone van they bought over two years ago; almost 90-thousand to be exact.

Monday morning, the group got a big gift.

"Oh it's a tremendous thing," says Mamerto Perez, commander of the local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans. "It's not too often that an organization, here in the community, will be willing to give you something out of their heart."

Perez knows this van couldn't come at a better time. There only van is racking up the miles.

"We got close to 90,000 miles and it's supposed to last us two years, that van. At the rate we're going be there at 200,000 miles in no time, so we need a back up," says Perez.

The new van is a gift from David Carrabba. It was his mother's. After she died, he decided to give it away to a good cause.

"It's something that I think my mother would appreciate and want us to do, and I think it'll be put to very good use," says Carrabba.

The new addition brings the total number of vehicles to two. But this van, with a wheelchair lift, means more access to veterans who can't get around as well.

Possibly opening up their services to more veterans.

"Our veterans mean a lot to us and Memorial Day just kind of brought it out that much more and we're wanting to help them because they've helped us so much," says Carrabba.

A gift from the heart that is helping keep local veterans healthy.

The local DAV chapter drives veterans five days a week, putting nearly 200 miles a day on their van. They hope the new van will help them ease the strain and keep them on the road longer.