Seniors remain mobile with new van
Megan Strickland
In-Home Service Manager Nancy Roark, Project Director Joanne Shaw, Transportation Coordinator Keith Gaffaney and Transportation Coordinator Jen Johnson stand with a new handicap-accessible van purchased through a state program.
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RONAN – Joanne Shaw was beaming June 23 as a shiny new handicap van pulled into the Lake County Area Council on Aging parking lot in Ronan.
The new vehicle, purchased through a grant matching program of the Montana Department of Transportation, is expected to make a big difference in the number of rides the council can offer to aging community members who sometimes aren’t able to transport themselves.
“We take them wherever they need to go,” said Transportation Coordinator Keith Gaffaney. “But sometimes we just don’t have the capacity. This will help a lot on our capacity.”
A handful of older, not always reliable vehicles help make the trips to medical appointments, shopping trips, social engagements, and lunch at the Ronan Senior Center. On busy days, the fleet will make three to five appointments. Wheelchair bound seniors presented a problem for giving free rides because there were no handicap-accessible vans available.
“People in wheelchairs couldn’t go,” Shaw said. “So this is going to help us serve better.”
The five-seater van comes complete with a wheelchair ramp. Shaw’s staff had to raise $8,000 in a two-year time frame for the van. Individual donations and raffles helped reach the goal.
Shaw was pleased with the new van.
“It’s great,” she said upon inspection.
