Do you love to drive and have a few hours during the day to spare once or twice a week?
Community Care Peterborough needs reliable, caring drivers willing to transport its clients to medical appointments or social and recreational activities within the City and County of Peterborough, and destinations in the nearby towns and cities.
“As the province re-opens, we know the demand for driving to in-person appointments will also increase,” said Alicia Vandine – Donor Relations and Communications Lead. “Our clients have been managing with virtual appointments but, they too are anxiously awaiting for other in-person care services to open up as well.”
Drives could be taking clients to get to their out-of-town medical appointments or simply taking them on grocery shopping trips, or even getting them to their local hair salon.
“Our volunteer drivers supplement the driving of friends and family for those without the ability to drive,” said Darci Maude – Volunteer Development Coordinator. “The volunteer driver commitment involves picking up a client and dropping them off at their appointment or activity and then later, picking up the same client and returning them to their home. Volunteer drivers receive some reimbursement which is paid to them by the client to help offset the cost of gas and wear and tear on their vehicle.”
Volunteer drivers can choose to drive clients in town, or they can take them on long distances to appointments in Toronto, Oshawa and Kingston. Volunteers choose which Community Care branch they wish to serve.
Volunteer driving is a great way to meet people in the community, and drives are scheduled around each volunteer’s availability.
“When you volunteer to be a driver, you will be helping people in your local community. We can only do as many drives for clients as we have drivers,” said Karen Morton – Community Development Coordinator in Millbrook. “Volunteers are crucial for this program to meet the needs of local clients.”
In the Millbrook area, there is a particular need for volunteer drivers to take clients to dialysis appointments. As Morton explains, some clients have dialysis appointments three or four times a week. “Getting them to these appointments is so crucial for their on-going health so having some extra volunteer drivers who can assist even once a week is so helpful,” she adds.
For more information about volunteering in the Millbrook and Cavan-Monaghan area, contact Karen at (705)932-2011. Information about volunteering is also available line at www.commcareptbo.org. KG
