Press Releases
ITNBluegrass Volunteer Driver Trainings
May - June 2009
Dear Prospective Volunteer Driver,
This week, ITNBluegrass will give its 1,300th ride in Fayette County! Our membership and ride numbers have grown since the weather has warmed up and so has our need for volunteer drivers. As you might imagine, most of our rides are during the day M-F, but a growing number of customers are scheduling weekend rides, so we can really use you no matter what your schedule is like!
Below is a list of upcoming Volunteer Driver trainings for May and June. Please consider attending one and learning more about how you can make a difference in the lives of people who no longer drive. As always, I can schedule individualized trainings if these days/times don't work for you. If you know someone who might enjoy this type of volunteer opportunity*, please forward this email to him/her. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Laura Dake
*Drivers can earn mileage reimbursement / transportation credits for their service. Find out more by calling me (252-8665) or attending a training!
Volunteer Trainings Sessions:
Friday, May 8 from 9:00 - 11:00 amMonday, May 11 from 8:30 - 10:30 am
Tuesday, May 19 from 9:00 - 11:00 am
Saturday, May 30 from 8:30 - 10:30 am
Monday, June 1 from 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Monday, June 8 from 9:00 - 11:00 am
Saturday, June 13 from 8:30 - 10:30 am
Monday, June 22 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm
All trainings are in the conference room at the ITNBluegrass office, which is located at 436 Georgetown Street, in the LexLinc building next to Rally's.
Please call Laura at 859.252.8665 to ask questions or to say you'll attend. (Attending a training session does not obligate you to drive.)
Qualifications sought for volunteer drivers:
- Valid KY driver's license and three years driving experience.
- Acceptable record of safe driving and clean criminal history check.
- Proof of liability insurance for vehicle and current registration.
- Personal references from three non-relatives.
- Not taking drugs/medications that caution users against driving.
- Ability to lift wheelchairs and walkers, and carry packages up to 25 lbs.
Please join us for Walk for Rides on May 9
Help seniors and people with visual impairment stay connected to families, friends and the activities that bring meaning to their lives by joining us for our most important annual fundraiser, Walk for Rides.
Click here to see the Walk for Rides poster.
Click here to see the Walk for Rides brochure.
Volunteer Driver Workshop
Save-the-Date! Our next Volunteer Driver Workshop is Thursday, May 21! We will meet that morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. for breakfast-type refreshments and a presentation by Jean Van Arsdale, who works with Low-Vision Services of Kentucky, which is part of Retina Associates of Kentucky, an ophthalmology group that is an ITNBluegrass business member. Jean will talk about vision issues and how we can as helpful as possible to our riders with visual impairment issues. As always, we will draw for a door prize! Please call the office (859-252-8665) or email Laura at laura.dake@itnbluegrass.org to register. There is no cost to attend.
Katherine Freund named 2009 AARP Inspire Award Honoree
December 4, 2008
Click here to read the press release.
2009 AARP Inspire Awards
ITNBluegrass Executive Director Gale Reece with Bill and Debbie Turenne at the 2009 AARP Inspire Awards. ITNAmerica Executive Director Katherine Freund was honored for her work on behalf of older Americans at the National Museum for Woman in the Arts in Washington, DC on December 8.
Thursday Night Live in Lexington!
ITNBluegrass board member Sheri Trail-Likoy (background) at the "Thursday Night Live" weekly event benefiting local nonprofits in downtown Lexington. ITN volunteers and staff, including Executive Director Gale Reece and her husband Merrill, poured drinks, made tips to benefit the organization, and most of all, had the opportunity to tell attendees about the service.
ITNBluegrass is patriotic!
Deputy Director Laura Dake at the Fourth of July parade
It was a soggy July 4th morning in Lexington, Kentucky, but that didn't dampen the spirits of the ladies from ITNBluegrass! Runners participating in the early morning "Bluegrass 10,000" and dozens of vendors and non-profits setting up their booths braved the rain, the latter group huddled under tents waving to the runners and each other.
About 11 a.m., the rain stopped and the day brightened, and many more people streamed downtown to enjoy Lexington's annual festivities celebrating our nation's independence, including concerts, children's activities, food, arts and crafts and a parade followed in the evening by a large fireworks display. ITNBluegrass staff Gale Reece and Laura Dake and board member Donna Baker managed the ITN booth handing out brochures as well as information on upcoming volunteer driver trainings.
If you are interested in a unique volunteer opportunity and making a difference in the quality of someone's life, please give us a call or send us an e-mail! We need YOU!
Governor Steve Beshear signing House Bill 204.
Governor Steve Beshear signing House Bill 204
The 2008 regular session considered 1,030 bills. Of that number, 61 Senate bills and 120 House bills passed both chambers -- a 17.5% pass rate.
Back row (l to r): Roger Parry, ITNBluegrass board member; Merrill Reece; Jeff Koonce, ITNBluegrass board member; Don Ball, Ball Homes; John Sammonds, Director, Franklin Co. Senior Citizens Center; Deborah Anderson, Commissioner, Dept. of Aging & Independent Living, Cabinet for Health & Family Services; Miles Phelps; Bill Dake; Mary Crowley-Schmidt, Asst. Director/Homecare Coord., Bluegrass Area Agency on Aging; Laura Dake, ITNBluegrass Deputy Director; Helen Evans
Front along desk (l to r): Jimmy, Janet and Julia Dake; Gov. Steve Beshear; ITNBluegrass Director Gale Reece and grandson Andrew Warburton; Rep. Susan Westrom (sponsor of the bill)
Last hurdle cleared for ITNBluegrass.
Rep. Susan Westrom (left), with ITNBluegrass Executive Director Gale Reece
ITNAmerica is pleased to announce that the proposed legislation (House Bill 204) ensuring that ITNBluegrass will be exempt from current laws regarding livery licensing was passed by the Kentucky State Senate on April 15 at 10:43 p.m.– the very last day of the session. This is a critical step toward ITNBluegrass becoming operational.
Without approval of the bill, volunteer drivers would not have been able to drive their own cars. This would have been an impossible situation for a service that relies on volunteers to keep the cost of rides affordable to seniors and those with visual impairments.
ITNBluegrass will arrange a ceremonial signing with Governor Beshear at the end of May. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Susan Westrom (D-Lexington).
Hits, Hats and a Hot Idea
In the center is Gale Reece, ITNBluegrass Executive Director, with her mother
JoAnn Griffin (left) and Mayme Hamby (right)
A good time was had by all who attended ITNBluegrass' second fundraiser on May 11, 2007. Called "Hits, Hats and A Hot Idea," the event included a piano concert, a hat contest with prizes, refreshments, as well as information on our "hot idea": the Independent Transportation Network®!
"Hits and Hats" was held at Second Presbyterian Church in downtown Lexington on a late Friday afternoon. Eastern Kentucky University professor and Second Presbyterian's organist Hayward Mickens, also a professional pianist, and his student Alec Miller entertained about 50 people with an eclectic mix of lively musical hits.
Kentucky has a wonderful hat tradition; many women wear them at the Kentucky Derby, which is always held on the first Saturday in May, or at Derby parties. Many of the women at our event pulled theirs out again, and the result was a sea of color amidst the dark wood paneling of the church's chapel. Two lucky ladies won prizes for their hats: a rose bush and a book with thoughts on aging from a classical philosopher.
The refreshments were mostly provided by Magee's Bakery, and the reception area was even decorated with hat boxes!
Everyone agreed that ITN is a hot idea, and we had lots of great questions. Several people decided that day to join us as charter members of ITNBluegrass, and we raised about $3,000!