If I turn the wheels the connection to the starter goes through?

Chevy Venture will not start, or turn over. Has happened twice. If I turn the wheels with steering wheel, the connection to the starter goes through.

When I turn the key, nothing happens. If I try my other keys, they don't work either. Van is 2002 with 185,000 miles. The first time it happened, I pushed the car out of the driveway to park on street. When I tried again, it started.

It was ok for a few days. When it happened again, I turned the front wheels a bit with the steering wheel and tried. It started. What should I do to prevent recurrence