Volunteer Airdrie launched a local Drive Happiness Program twelve months ago to provide transportation to older adults and persons with disabilities in Airdrie. As the new initiative has gained traction and increased its clientele base, the need for more volunteer drivers has increased.
Volunteer Airdrie promotes and connects people to volunteer opportunities in Airdrie, but it also offers several community programs like Drive Happiness.
“We first got involved in volunteer driving right after the first COVID-19 lockdown in March of 2020,” said Dave Maffitt, chair of the Volunteer Airdrie Society. After a period of organizing the program, Maffitt connected with Drive Happiness Seniors Association, an Edmonton-based non-profit organization. “They've been doing this for over 20 years and do about 18,000 to 20,000 rides per year,” Maffitt said.
Drive Happiness manages ride requests and volunteer scheduling through an online interface. It provided Volunteer Airdrie with access to the site as part of their agreement.
Airdrie’s Drive Happiness program currently completes approximately two to three trips into Calgary every day, averaging 40 to 60 trips per month.
“We noticed the need was getting bigger and there were more requests for rides,” said Leon Cygman, vice-chair of Volunteer Airdrie, who organizes Drive Happiness in Airdrie.
Drive Happiness charges $10 for a ride up to 40 kilometres or 90 minutes (trips exceeding these limits cost more). Sixteen volunteers currently drive for the program, but more are needed.
“We're going to need more volunteers in a hurry,” Cygman said. “We have lots of seniors with the program and we're trying to spread the word because it really pains me when I hear a senior having to cancel their appointment because they can't get to it.”
Cygman explained that most rides are scheduled for medical reasons, including life-saving appointments like chemotherapy or dialysis treatments.
Volunteer driver Marlene Raasok said while she mostly drives clients to specialty medical appointments, she has also brought people to family visits and other non-medical appointments.
“These needs are real for people. They're for specialty appointments or treatments and that matters to their wellbeing,” Raasok said.
Raasok asked one of her clients what she would have done without the Drive Happiness service, to which she responded she would have had to take a cab to and from Calgary.
“She couldn't miss her medical appointment. You can imagine, that would have been a significant bill,” Raasok said.
Raasok said volunteering for Drive Happiness is a great way to serve and be valuable to the community.
“The nice thing about Drive Happiness is that they have a computer-based schedule and we can look at the needs for drives and look at our schedule and plan accordingly,” she said.
To volunteer for the Drive Happiness Airdrie Seniors Assisted Transportation Program, individuals must use their own vehicles, provide a driving abstract, and complete a vulnerable sector police check. Drivers receive a portion of the ride fees to reimburse their fuel costs.
For more information, go to volunteerairdrie.ca or drivehappiness.ca/ride-program/
