Groups team up to fund new seniors' bus

Each group raised enough money through donations and fundraisers to purchase an $88,000 bus that would benefit programs within the local hospital.

The groups made an official presentation to the hospital on Aug. 30.

Roy Sheaves, Lions Club member, said he believes this new and improved bus will be a great asset to patients.

“It’s really important because it gives patients safe transportation and gets them out of the hospital and into the community,” he said.

According to Shelly Nichols, recreation specialist for the LeGrow Health Centre, surrounding communities will also gain from this investment.

“We have an outreach program where seniors from nearby communities come into the hospital and this bus is their method of transportation,” she said.

“If we didn’t have that we wouldn’t be able to offer this program for people who live alone or may have been widowed or socially isolated.”

While the newly purchased bus has the same seating capacity as the previous one, Ms. Nichols said it has certain enhancements that were desperately needed.

“The difference between the two buses is the old bus could only take two wheelchairs but now we can interchange,” she said. “We can put up seats and take six wheelchairs and now more people can actually go on the bus.”

For years the project was funded solely by the Lions Club, but according to Mr. Sheaves, due to a drop in membership this year they needed additional help in funding the project.

“Prices have gone up so much that the Lions Club couldn’t do it alone this time,” he said. “The last bus was put off the road because the chassis was rusted off and it wasn’t safe to use anymore, so we needed to get a new one because if we didn’t I think there would be a lot of unhappy people.”

Wayne Green, hospital foundation president, said both groups were happy to lend a hand.

“It’s a very important cause,” he said. “It’s to help out the seniors and to make sure they have something they can use to get around.”

Ladies Auxiliary president Mary Mushrow said although a large quantity of funds were needed she was overwhelmed and extremely thankful for the amount of support they received.