Wet Mountain Valley Rotary Van Page
Rotary Van Service
NOTICE
The Wet Mountain Valley Rotary Community Service, commonly known as Rotary Van Service continues to serve the community since 2004 as a 501{c}3 non-profit.
Rides are provided for a nominal donation. For instance, a typical donation for rides locally is $10. Pueblo, Canon City, and Salida are typically $25. Rides to Colorado Springs are limited for medical visits for $35. If you cannot afford the donation, ask dispatch if you qualify to receive a sponsorship. Generous supporters have donated money to sponsor rides.
We also partner with the West Custer County Library District (Library) to offer another way to connect with doctors or medical facilities through TeleHealth. The Rotary Van Service will provide rides to the Library to use TeleHealth in the privacy booth with assistance from library staff. We are also offering a new service. If you are participating in the Custer County Community Sharing Center, the Rotary Van Service will deliver your meal to you. We ask for a $5 donation which may be sponsored. Ask our Dispatch for details.
The Rotary Van Service has been serving the community for more than twenty years and proudly continues to help the community with these most needed services. But in order to fully service this community, we need more volunteer drivers. If you want to help Rotary Van Service by becoming a volunteer driver or a sponsor, please contact us at 719-783-2343. Drivers may choose how they serve by volunteering daily, weekly, or as little as monthly and may choose to drive only locally, if desired.
To schedule a ride, please call 719-783-2343.
The mission of the Wet Mountain Valley Community Service, Inc. (Rotary Van Service) is to provide residents of Custer County with safe transportation within one hundred miles of Custer County. The corporation owns, maintains, and operates vehicles for transportation for members of the public who, because of medical or other infirmities or because of financial circumstances, need transportation in and around Custer County and the surrounding areas.
This is a transportation service provided to Valley residents to assist them with trips to visit doctors or run special errands. We have drivers from the Wet Mountain Valley Rotary Club and the community. Many drive more than once a week taking people to Pueblo, Canon City, Colorados Springs, Salida as well as Westcliffe or Silver Cliff.
Drivers are the key to the success of the Rotary Van Service and we have dedicated drivers who are proud of what they do and are appreciated by the people who depend upon them. And we could do more if we had more drivers. If you are looking for a way to truly help your community, apply to be a Rotary Van Driver. Call 719- 783-2343. Someday, you too, may need our service.
For transportation needs, contact Van Dispatch at 719-783-2343
History
The first thoughts and ideas about the Rotary Van Project were discussed at a Rotary Dinner Night Out. Lori Gaide (spouse to member Art Gaide) was visiting with member Bill McAlee about a van the Clinic had operated but no longer provided. Laster that week, Bill discussed the subject with a few other Rotary members and decided to approach the Clinic board to see if the Rotary club would be allowed to operate the van for six months. The Clinic board agreed and, in fact, continued to pay the insurance on the van for that period of time.
The Rotary club was now in the transportation business. Members Art Gaide and Ned Freestone inspected the van and made arrangements with the Sheriff's Department to park the van in the Sheriff's parking area with the keys being kept in their front office. Another van was purchased for the cost of one dollar from Ray and Mary Lou Koch, and the Rotary van project was up and running. With the help of member Gene Nieges, a 501(c)(3) was established in June 2004 with the name being registered as: Wet Mountain Valley Community Service, Inc., and generally referred to as the Rotary Van Service.
A board of directors was formed and member Art Gaide volunteered to maintain the vehicles while member Gary Frickell set up a computer program to operate the appropriate financial bookkeeping. Bill and Eileen McAlee were instrumental in finding funding for the project and contacted an organization called "RIDE" which was the Fremont County Transportation System. They agreed to help with some funding since our service provided rides into their county. Next came the primary funding from the Department on Aging. Due to community members needed dialysis, which requires a six hour wait period, it was determined that another vehicle was needed. It was obtained by the Department on Aging writing a grant on our behalf. Additional funds were still needed to operate the service. Eileen McAlee found a book listing organizations funding our type of tranportation and she began writing grands for our funding needs.
Additional funding was solicited from:
Louise Peter (spouse of member Horst Peter) was the dispatcher for a period of five years, followed by Shelly Penkoff who also became the administrator for many years and shepherded the organization to sustainability through grants and donations. Today the Rotary Van Service Administrator is Merton Young and Dispatch is run by Nona Gladbach.
