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Two Miles for Mary ‘a lifeline’ for seniors

Aug 28, 2017 | 5:00 PM

Completing mundane trips to the doctor’s office are simple for many, but for seniors without transportation, this can be a major task.

Helping to alleviate this is a unique service in Prince Albert known as Seniors’ Transportation. The service operates a number of cars to help seniors get to their to destinations and is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

The program is a lifeline of independence for many seniors, according to Eleanor George.

“Those of us that use it would be in dire straights [without it],” George said. She’s used the service for many years and in 2015 was chosen as a ‘Mary’ or spokesperson for the organization’s fundraiser, Two Miles for Mary. 

“They help you get in and out and carry your groceries into the house. We have wonderful drivers who really show their concern for all of us,” she said.

How the service works is simple: Seniors call a dispatch office, make arrangements with the dispatcher for pickup and drop off times and are charged an affordable flat rate of $5. Those aged 60 and over are entitled to the service.

The program is well utilized and sees ever growing demand. On average, they provide three trips per hour and totalled 6,213 trips in 2016. As of July 31, 2017, the service completed 381 trips more than last year.

The service also provides a medical charter service for appointments in Saskatoon. This year drivers made 14 trips so far whereas last year it was 53. The dispatch service receives roughly 100 calls a day. 

“We are allowing people to retain independence and remain active in the community by providing transportation for people who can’t drive or don’t have access to a vehicle or family supports available to them,” Community Service Centre CEO Bill Powalinsky said.

The medical charter drivers are volunteers while the rest are paid employees but the organization runs a very lean operation. They rely heavily on fundraising to operate, with upwards of 25 per cent of costs coming from an annual fundraiser. The program is partially funded by the City of Prince Albert and uses fare revenue to balance the remainder of the books. The funding model limits expansion, yet the service managed to do so. 

“This year we expanded the service for many by adding two extra days for one of the cars [Monday and Tuesday],” Powalinsky said. “We have hopes to eventually end up in the area where we can provide weekend travel service as well, but in order to do that we are going to have to find some additional funds.”

There is no limit to where the service can drive seniors within the city and it very rarely turns people away. In 2016, only 150 people were told no, based solely on capacity issues.

For their 30th anniversary, Two Miles for Mary will be gathering all the Mary’s together to honour them and allow them to act as united spokespeople for the operation.

“It is one of a kind and it is something that P.A. can really be proud of,” Powalinsky said.

There will be the annual radiothon to raise funds for the service on September 29. It will be broadcast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on CKBI radio and hosted by morning show hosts Chris Knight and Teena Monteleone.

 

 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr