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1
Summer
2005
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
2 -
Leave a Legacy
3 -
Clark County
Washington
4 -
Save the dates!
*This publication is available in accessible formats upon request*
Ride Connection Unveils New Website Design
THE EXTRA M
ILE
Ride Connection would like to
thank those who contributed
articles to this publication,
including staff members Mary
Graham and Caralee Lindsay, and
outgoing Board Member Gerard
Trageser.
Intern Joins Ride Connection Staff for Summer
Christina Turner has joined Ride
Connection for a summer
internship. Christina is a
Portland native who has spent
the last 3 years studying Human
Development and Family Stud-
ies at Colorado State University
in Fort Collins. This is the
second consecutive summer
that Christina has returned
home to work with Ride
Connection. This summer, she
will be earning credits through
Portland State University to
complete her internship
requirement and graduate this
coming December. While at
Ride Connection, Christina as-
sists with a variety of programs
and helps the staff wherever
she can. Her help is especially
needed this year while Trainer
Lesa Pinker is out on maternity
leave. We’re glad to have
Christina as part of the staff and
will miss her next year.
Summer intern Christina Turner is
hard at work in her office at Ride
Connection.
Ride Connection invites you to visit our newly redesigned website at
www.rideconnection.org
. Now you can find out a lot more about our
organization, and it’s much easier to find the information you need.
Here are some of the new features:
Services- now it’s easy to find out what services we provide in the
community.
Newsroom-
to keep you up to date on what’s going on at Ride
Connection
.
View newsletters, annual reports, and more.
Calendar- find the dates of all trainings, meetings, and current
events.
Resources- here you’ll find links to other helpful service and
transportation-related websites.
We have also added a secure area where service providers will
have all the resources they need in one place. Check it out!
“Linking accessible, responsive transportation with community need”
pg_0002
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The Extra Mile
“Make a community connection”
Leave a Legacy with a Gift to Ride Connection
Written by Gerard Trageser
Ten years ago, Bonny Groshong introduced me to Ride Connection. I initially served on the
allocation committee, and since then, I’ve had the privilege of being involved with Ride
Connection more closely. I have learned firsthand how seniors and people with disabilities use
our important transportation services.
I am pleased that Ride Connection continues to expand and enhance
its services. Ride Connection recently initiated the N/NE Shuttle,
RideAbout and RideWise programs. In 2004-05 almost 300,000
rides were given. Over 3,800 low income wage earners and job
seekers received travel education.
One of the times I’ve felt most successful is when Ride Connection
played a role in confirming and securing special needs transportation
through advocacy at the state level. When our voice was strong in
Salem, I feel it was an important turning point for Ride Connection.
Without Ride Connection’s enduring support, our 31 community part-
ners could not continue to Give the Gift of Mobility. It is in working
together that we meet challenges, and expand the important service
we give in communities throughout four Metropolitan area counties
I am writing to ask you to seriously consider giving a gift for Ride Connection’s future. One
important way is through a Legacy Gift in your Will or Estate Plan.
Legacy Gifts to Ride Connection, such as a bequest by will, life insurance, IRA beneficiary
assignments of retirement funds, gifts of stock or mutual funds, and charitable trusts, can be
placed in our Endowment Fund. This Fund is our “bank account for the future”. Donations to
the Endowment Fund are not spent, but are invested. Only the interest or a portion of the
earnings from your gift is available for the vital services and programs offered each day by
Ride Connection.
The following statement in your will, trust or beneficiary document provides a simple way to
achieve your intentions:
“I devise to Ride Connection, Inc., an Oregon Non-Profit Corporation, the sum of
$_________ from (or a ___% of ) the rest and remainder of my estate or account
to be used for carrying out its mission.”
Ride Connection’s tax ID is # 94-3076771
For more information contact Susan Tingley, 503-528-1734, or stingley@rideconnection.org.
Thank you for considering a Legacy Gift to ensure the Gift of Mobility for years to come!
Outgoing Ride Connection
Board member, Gerard
Trageser and his wife, Vivian.
pg_0003
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The Extra Mile
“Give the gift of mobility”
Ride Connection is delighted to announce the grant of $167,000 by Washington State
Department of Transportation (WASDOT) to expand our transportation services for two years in
Clark County, WA. An additional $40,000 was awarded to buy an accessible vehicle. This is
great news for citizens of Clark County who are older or living with a disability, particularly those
living outside areas served by C-TRAN. In the past, Ride Connection and its partners have only
been able to provide rides in Clark County for life-sustaining medical appointments, but this
grant will allow us to help people get to shopping, regular medical appointments, and other im-
portant destinations. Service is projected to begin in the fall.
This opportunity could not have been granted without much effort and support from our partners
and friends. Ride Connection would like to extend heartfelt thanks to WASDOT, the American
Cancer Society, Catholic Community Services, Dr. Ken Nitta, the Cities of Battle Ground,
Ridgefield, and Vancouver, and the East Vancouver United Methodist Church.
Catholic Community Services/Volunteer Chore Services is one of the agencies that will provide
these expanded services in Washington state. Of course, these services would not be possible
without the help of volunteer drivers like Martin Butler. Marty retired as a state trooper in April of
2003. After a year off of work, he decided to volunteer his free time, and contacted the Retired
and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) to see if they had any volunteer positions available.
Marty has now been a volunteer driver for over a year. He enjoys the flexibility of the schedule,
the assistance he provides, and the ability to help seniors meet their transportation needs. “I
used to have a job where I was tied to a pager,” he said. “Now, I make my own schedule. And I
help people with rides to appointments.” Marty enjoys driving, and feels like the individuals he
transports are as close as family. When asked what his favorite part of the job was, Marty
responded, “visiting with the folks I drive, and exploring areas of Clark County.” Marty drives
about five trips a week. Rides to doctor appointments at places such as OHSU can last as long
as forty-five minutes, and Marty makes it a goal to make the ride more of an outing than an
appointment.
Catholic Community Services/ Volunteer Chore Services currently
has 12 drivers to provide medical transportation to older adults in
the Clark County, WA district. These individuals rely on the service
of these drivers, and often, it is the only way they are able to get
out and about. Without the dedication of drivers, many of these
individuals would be isolated, most of them alone, in their own
homes, with no transportation to vital medical appointments.
Marty recommends this volunteer opportunity to anyone who has
free time and wants to make a difference in the lives of others.
Sometimes it’s a few days a week, and sometimes it’s only once a
week. Even if only for a few hours a week, a volunteer driver can
make a tremendous impact on the lives of the people they help.
New Funding and Dedicated Volunteers give Clark County a Boost
Martin Butler volunteers for Catholic
Community Services, a Ride
Connection Community Partner
providing services in Clark County
Washington.
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NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PORTLAND, OR
PERMIT 495
Address Service Requested
3220 N Williams
Portland, OR 97227
503.528.1720
Fax: 503.493.7431
“Linking accessible, responsive transportation with community need”
Save the Dates!
Safe Driver Event
October 7, 2005
3:30-5:00pm
Location: TBA
Annual Luncheon
December 2, 2005
12:00pm
Double Tree,
Lloyd Center