Delivering care one mile at a time.

Lynn, of Golden, needs physical therapy three times a week for her arthritis and needs a ride to her appointments. Jayne, who has MS and other health problems, can't drive and must get from her home in Arvada to a specialist twenty miles away in the new University of Colorado complex in Aurora.

They count on Red Cross Transportation Services volunteers to get them there.

Bruce Douglass is one of those volunteers. On a recent Friday, he drove Lynn and Jayne to their appointments in a Red Cross 2008 fuel-efficient hybrid Toyoto Prius.

"I enjoy getting to know the people," he says. He likes driving and enjoys the scenery around the Mile High area. While he waits for his clients, he might stop for lunch or visit a park. On a typical day, he takes five or six people to their destinations and returns them home, driving up to 250 miles a day. He stays in contact with the Red Cross office by walkie-talkie. Bruce, who lives in Arvada, works one or two days a week for about seven hours.

"It's very satisfying to take someone to their medical appointments," he says "It can be stressful for them and they know I'll get them there on time and get them home."

When Bruce retired from his job as a high school counselor with Jefferson County Schools 15 years ago, he contemplated, on a visit to his cabin in Wyoming, what he would do next. He knew someone who worked for the Red Cross and wondered, "Is there a place there for a guy like me?" He signed up for training and has been a valuable volunteer ever since.

Over his years as a Red Cross Transportation Services volunteer, Bruce has driven thousands of miles. At other times, he has worked in Disaster Response, both locally and nationally. He was on the scene at the World Trade Center, Katrina and in Guam.

The fleet of Red Cross Transportation Services cars is made up of 14 cars, half of which are Priuses. Transportation services are provided in Denver, Adams, Jefferson, Douglas, Boulder and Gilpin counties.

Some of the people served by the service are elderly; some are young. They may be traveling to buy groceries or to undergo medical procedures or physical therapy. "Sometimes they are sedated when they return home," says Jeannie Gebhart, Red Cross transportation specialist. "Oftentimes, they're scared and need someone to talk to. The volunteer offers compassion and companionship as well as a ride."

Clients are sometimes referred by Kaiser Permanente, the Senior Resource Center, United Way and other agencies. Clients pay just $15 each way.

Drivers take a defensive driving course; no chauffeurs' license is needed. The Mile High Chapter can always use more volunteer drivers. Find out about becoming a volunteer [LINK to

http://www.denver-redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=volunteer_home]

For information about volunteering with Red Cross Transportation Services or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.