Many readers of the Lawrence Journal-World answered the call to help a Lawrence woman win a contest for a wheelchair-accessible van over a week ago. However, Deb Young did not become a semifinalist in the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association’s contest, according to results announced Wednesday.

About 1,360 people in need of such a van entered the contest, where members of the public voted on who they thought deserved one of the vans available. To become a semifinalist, participants needed to be in the top 10 percent of voting recipients in their respective categories. There were 141 semifinalists.

Young, who lost her legs and one arm in a car accident last October, received more than 6,600 votes. Wednesday, she thanked members of the community for their support.

“[My husband] and I are very appreciative of everyone’s support with the voting,” she said.

Beth Hoff, a friend of Young’s who entered her into the contest, told the Journal-World in the days after the May 6 article ran that voting for Deb increased and she “finished strong.”

“There’s no one that doesn’t deserve it that will be in the run for that van,” Brett Young, Deb’s husband, said in an interview last week.