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Friday, 15 August 2008 |
By MIKE BURKHOLDER
Managing Editor
ST. MARYS — Thanks in part to a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation, a local senior assistance organization can continue to provide aid to a significant portion of the population in Auglaize County.
ODOT officials recently announced the Auglaize County Council on Aging is slated to receive a $33,230 grant as part of a $3.7 million federal transportation program that provides funds to local transit agencies. The grant has a 20 percent local match that the Council on Aging will be required to pay for out of its coffers.
“It is going to be a replacement for one of our vehicles that has over 150,000 miles on it,” Roby told The Evening Leader Thursday morning. “We have a fleet of nine and we have three with over 100,000 miles. When you travel 150,000 miles a year, it really adds up.”
The new vehicle will be a light transit, narrow body van with eight ambulatory seats and will sport two wheelchair placements. Roby said continuously rotating vehicles helps ensure the Council on Aging can continue to provide assistance to those in need.
“We probably serve anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people in just transportation clients per year,” Roby said. “Some of those maybe go several times — we are a very busy senior center.”
In addition to providing transportation to medical appointments, drivers deliver meals and food boxes to seniors — all of which take a toll on vehicles within the fleet.
With drivers taking passengers to surrounding counties, Roby said replacing the 2002 vehicle is vital.
“It would have been difficult for us to purchase it without the grant,” Roby said. “We are on a budget and it’s not just one vehicle — we have two others with high mileage that we have to replace. It’s an ongoing process of finding funds and keeping those vehicles in place.”
Despite soaring fuel costs, Roby said she has no plans to reduce services to county senior citizens. Instead, Roby said she tries to group trips when traveling outside the county.
“We also coordinate with all the nursing homes and emergency management agencies,” Roby said. “It helps keep our clients independent, which is our mission. We are thankful for the grant because it is a replacement and when you get over 150,000 miles on a vehicle, you have to look at the cost of maintenance and we do want our clients to be able to take those rides safely and securely.”
Roby said the facility will continue to provide services to seniors as long as residents visit the Council on Aging. As the baby boomers age, Roby said she believes demand will be high at the facility.
“It’s our passion to continue doing what we are doing,” Roby said. “We have increased our services because the demand is high and we have a responsibility to take care of these people.” |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 19 August 2008 )
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