Ruth, a parishioner of St. Stephen Protomartyr, has served as the organization’s Transportation Ministry Coordinator since January.

In this volunteer role, Ruth finds rides for seniors who need to go to medical appointments. She works with about 22 volunteer drivers to match them with seniors needing rides on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week.

“Everyone appreciates the program and is so grateful for it,” says Ruth, who has been retired nearly two years. “I thought it would be something I could do at my leisure, but it also has been helpful and useful to everyone else. It’s a fulfilling job.”

Ruth volunteers about four to five hours a week for SGSM. As the transportation program continues to grow, she says they can always use more volunteer drivers to help seniors get to their doctor appointments.

Rose has started taking reservations for SGSM trips and events from her home. Moseblech is a parishioner of Resurrection of Our Lord parish and found that this role was a good fit for her. “I’m not physically able to do a lot these days, but taking reservations by phone is something I could do,” she says. “And it’s nice to feel needed.”

Rose, who celebrates her 80th birthday this month, also volunteers at the church’s food pantry once a week. She says having raised 12 children, she had to learn to do more than one thing at a time.

A shining example of an active person in our own community is Doris who gives most of her time to others. She laughs when she talks about how she volunteered at a food pantry on the very first day of her retirement. “I wasn’t going to get on the lunch and bridge circuit,” Doris admits.

In fact, Doris says her friends have a hard time catching up with her since she has four weekdays committed to volunteering. Every week, she serves St. Agatha Center at its food pantry, as well as the parish food pantry at Resurrection of Our Lord. In addition, she takes communion to residents at Lansdowne Manor and volunteers at the patient information desk at St. Alexius Hospital. Doris also co-chairs the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Resurrection.

What drives her to volunteer? “The satisfaction of doing something that needs to be done,” says Doris. “Plus I meet a lot of nice people.”

Ron, 60, has been a volunteer driver for “Ready, Set, Go” shortly after its inception in 2003. Ready, Set, Go is South Grand Senior Ministry’s transportation program, in which seniors are matched with volunteer drivers who take them to the doctor.

Ron, a parishioner of St. Stephen Protomartyr, initially made the decision to volunteer after seeing it in the church bulletin and thinking it over. “The Holy Spirit was working with me,” he says. “I was definitely feeling called to this ministry that I could be a part of it. I had spare time. I lived and worked in South St. Louis and I could be ready at a moment’s notice.”

Ron’s experience has been very uplifting. “All the riders are most grateful and appreciative,” he says. “I feel good about it — the program has a good purpose. What’s been most surprising is how much the elderly still enjoy life and have a thirst for life. You wouldn’t necessarily think that because they’re going to the doctor. But their uplifting personalities really rub off on me.”

Even though Ron’s work office moved to the county, he is still making time to volunteer in the afternoons when he can. We thank Ron for his dedication to our seniors!

Jim has been a volunteer driver for Ready, Set, Go since its inception in 2003. A parishioner of St. Stephen Protomartyr, Jim runs his own business mainly on weekends which gives him the flexibility to do things during the week.

After helping his own mother-in-law and seeing the difficulties the elderly have, Jim thought it would be the very least he could do to help. “I also believe that if I am going to call myself Christian then I should act accordingly,” he says. “I have never done it to get anything from it but I always know that one cannot out give God.”

Jim admits that the one thing he has noticed from almost everyone he has driven over the years is an appreciation for the help we have been able to give. We thank Jim and all the current drivers for their dedication to our seniors!