By Drew Johnson
I sat down with Dave Carvell the other day to talk about how our Transportation Program has developed over the years and some of his favorite things about volunteering as a driver for us.
Hi Dave! You’ve been driving with SCCS since before I started here, which was about 8 years ago. When did you start driving?
Since about 2010, I think. I saw they needed food delivery people and I said, “I’ll do that, I like to drive!” I was one of the original four or five—I think Bill Hunt, David Aubrey, Wes Bittenbender were part of it too, and maybe a few others.
In the early days it wasn’t quite as nice. We didn’t have a van, so we didn’t give people rides; we just delivered food to people who couldn’t make it into the pantry. Then Danna Downing showed up and one of the first things she did was bring down the van from Metro. After that, things really started to take off… we got more drivers and began taking people to appointments.
I could never say no to Danna and I really enjoyed working with her. That’s when we started doing doctors’ appointments. We had a big old rattlely van. Tamra Stafford has the scheduling dialed in now, and we have a brand-new van.
I know you do a lot of different kinds of trips for us… you take seniors to doctor appointments, deliver food monthly, etc. Which is your favorite?
Driving Bill Swinehart. He was a WWII vet and a flight engineer on a B-29. We used to take him almost weekly to the Battle Creek VA for physical therapy and to swim. I knew the family and loved his stories about being out over the Pacific. He and his wife were both really, really appreciative. We used to take a lot more vets to Battle Creek, but now they are able to see their own local doctors on VA insurance so the demand isn’t as high anymore.
What is the commodities route like?
Really fun. We know exactly what we’re doing. There have been some really rewarding food delivery stories too over the years. I remember delivering food to a woman and she just started crying she was so overwhelmed with gratitude. Bob (who rides along on commodities) came up behind me and whispered, “is everything ok?” but she was fine; she just needed to let it out.
What kind of time commitment would you say it is to someone who is interested in driving but unsure if they have the time?
The biggest thing was always getting trained—the initial day training. After that, if you can do a half day a week, that is really helpful. It can be as much or as little as you want it to be. It’s really easy once you get into it—Tamra does all the paperwork for us for Metro, so you just have to follow the driver sheet. The new van is really nice to drive too. [Interviewer’s note: we recently changed our policy to make it easier to get into the program—if you’ve been put off by the initial training before, give us a call to hear what the new and improved process is like!]
What is your favorite part of driving for SCCS?
Getting to know the riders. Some of them ask about family and know what is going on in our lives. Everyone is very appreciative and enjoyable to talk to.
Riders really like how personal it is and are very appreciative. They want us to do it, not Metro. Especially with medical appointments and people in wheelchairs. We say we’re here for you—just you—today.
Is there anything else the readers should know?
Come out and check it out! Once you do it a few times and see how much people appreciate you, you’ll love it. I have had people cry for me over the years, pray for me. You really appreciate giving your time to people who need it and appreciate it so much. Even a little involved is really a good contribution.
The Transportation Program has come a long way, and I’m glad to have been a part of it. I think it’s for the drivers too—it seems like everyone gets something out of it. Some day they may be picking me up!
Drew Johnson lives in Kalamazoo and is the Director at South County Community Services. He has a small quarter acre homestead with chickens, bees, and hops (and more!), a wonderful wife, and three energetic children. He can be reached at 649-2901 or ajohnson@southcountycs.com
For more information on South County Community Services, please check out our Facebook at facebook.com/southcountycs or visit our website.
