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Red Cross in urgent need of volunteer drivers by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff 3 | Friday, February 26, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com When Marlene Fader's husband died of cancer 13 years ago, rather than be consumed by her grief, she chose to help others. "I wanted to get out of the house and do something useful," she said. "I wanted to put something into the community." It took six months for Fader, 79, to decide what she wanted to do with her time and when she did, she chose to become a volunteer driver with the Canadian Red Cross. Now, 13 years later, she's one of the regular drivers, something she says is a worthwhile experience that has given her great satisfaction in life. "It's good giving back to the community that you're living in," said the long-time Oakville resident. "It's rewarding in that the people you drive unburden themselves because some of them are very elderly and live alone," Fader said. "They don't have a listening post, so to speak, so when we take them for a doctor's appointment or whatever is required, then they have someone to talk to. "The next time you take them, it's like taking a friend -- two friends meeting, so to speak," she said. Fader spends Thursday afternoons, from 12:15-5:30 p.m., providing a ride to those in Oakville's Marlene Fader, 79, is a volunteer driver with the Canadian Red Cross Mississauga/Halton and says the job is very rewarding in that it not only helps her give back to the community, but also provides personal satisfaction. Volunteer drivers are urgently needed and those interested can attend an upcoming information meeting. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) need -- taking them to appointments as far away as Toronto. The Oakville senior is among 38 volunteer drivers from Oakville, Milton and Peel, who help provide approximately 35,000 rides annually for residents living in their respective areas. The Red Cross provides transportation to medical appointments, as well as to social day programs, among others, for people who have an identified need for it. Rohit Mehta, the transportation administrator for the Canadian Red Cross Mississauga/ Halton, said volunteers are crucial to helping the organization meet the needs of the community. "Volunteer drivers are the backbone of our program," he said. Still, Mehta notes the Red Cross has had to hire paid drivers to supplement the program to meet the growing needs of the communities it serves. "The client pool is increasing, the need is increasing and we don't have enough volunteers to meet the need," he said. Fader says she has seen first-hand each year there's "more and more of a demand for rides in Oakville, as the population ages." "My turn will come, too, one day and I won't be able to drive the car," she added. "If you can help somebody or many people, now's your chance." see Red on p.4 A STEP BEYOND IN CARE Salima Kassam Reg. Chiropodist · Foot/Arch Pain? · Ingrown Toenails? · Diabetes? · Swollen Ankles? · Corns, Calluses? Do you have: Call for an appointment 905-632-1414 728 Burloak Drive www.footandhealthclinic.com Voted Best Financial Planner & Best Investment Company DIAMOND Jennifer Watson and Peter Watson 220 Randall Street, Downtown Oakville 905-842-2100 peterwatsoninvestments.com