Pawling Resource Center Raises the Funds for a New Car…With a Lot of Help from Their Friends!
Rev. Mark Allen, PRC outgoing board chair, Olga Brandenberger, Executive Director, Mario Mejorado, incoming board chair, Halliday Clark, treasurer, with the new car.
By Susan Stone
Since the COVID pandemic subsided and Pawling’s seniors began to catch up with medical appointments and trips to shop for groceries, it became clear to all at the PRC that the fifteen-year-old little red Honda that had served all so well was not able to keep up with community need. As the PRC team patiently waited for the travel rush to slow down, more of our community’s seniors discovered their transport needs had increased. With the rise in demand for rides and the additional requirement for larger rear storage space to accommodate walkers, rollators and wheelchairs, executive director Olga Brandenberger suggested to the PRC board that a larger, more reliable auto should be considered. With all board members in agreement, the decision to include funding for the purchase of a new car became one of the goals for the PRC’s annual fundraising event, the Fayne Daniels Walk So They May Ride Walk-a-thon, that took place last September.
Resource Center treasurer Halliday Clark happily explained, “The 2023 Fayne Daniels Walk-a-thon for the Pawling Resource Center was a tremendous success. We not only increased funding for the rides program by 20%, but we were also able to replace our old, tiny Honda with a beautiful (and more functional) 2024 Chevy Equinox. All of this was possible because of the very generous donations of the Monahan Leighton Fund, the Hettinger family, and the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, in addition to the fantastic support from the whole community.”
Also contributing to this monumental achievement was our local Chevrolet dealership, Ingersoll Auto of Pawling. They made the entire transaction easy and possible. The new red Equinox, with lots of flexible space providing a comfortable and safe ride for our seniors, was recently purchased and immediately put into service.
In 2023, the Center provided 385 rides to medical appointments to our community seniors. Including food deliveries to homebound clients and rides to shop, 724 requests for transportation services were fulfilled during the past year. Ms. Brandenberger remarked that the only thing at this point that will prevent an increase in these transportation services is the shortage of volunteer drivers. Prior to the pandemic, 45 drivers were available to assist with all transportation needs. The current number of volunteers now stands at only 15. Because of this, 36 requests for transportation services were unable to be met. Ms. Brandenberger hopes that as the pandemic continues to recede, more community volunteers will come forward to help provide this crucial service to our neighbors in need.
Information about the Pawling Resource Center’s core services may be found on its website at pawlingresourcecenter.org. Those with interest in volunteering their time and driving talents may contact Ms. Brandenberger at 845-855-3459.
Olaga Bradenberger, Executive Director, with the new Chevy Equinox.
