GORE BAY—An early, much appreciated Christmas present has arrived for the Angel Bus thanks to the community-minded generosity of the Burpee-Mills Golden Age Club and the family of Herb and Carmen Walker, with donations of $1,000 each having been made.
“It is truly amazing,” stated Sandy Cook of the Angel Bus Fundraising committee to the two donations made earlier this week.
“The $1,000 donation from the Burpee-Mills Golden Age Club was raised through the community breakfasts held throughout the year,” said Penny Palonen, president of the club. “And this (Angel Bus) is a very good cause,” she said.
The second $1,000 donation was made by the family of Herb and Carmen Walker, “who continued the tradition this Christmas season by making a donation within the Gore Bay community. Further contributions included donations of playground equipment, medical centre equipment, Mindemoya Hospital chemo room and the Gore Bay Fish Hatchery. Each contribution is designed to enhance the community so it remains the same wonderful place the seven Walker children grew up in,” a release explains.
“The bus is equipped with a wheel chair lift and easy accessibility for senior residents of the Manitoulin Lodge to go on picnics to East Bluff; attend the Providence Bay bluegrass festival, participate in the Gore Bay Christmas parade and is available to others in the community if needed. The Walker family encourages others to support this valuable service or make a donation to another community organization that is close to their hearts—it is the season!”
“The funds that have been so generously donated will go toward ongoing operating costs of the Angel Bus,” said Ms. Cook. She explained, “we just had six new snow tires put on the bus and a heater was installed on the bus as well.”
“We have received tremendous support from the Island community on this project, and these two donations are quite remarkable,” said Ms. Cook.
Don Bainbridge, a member of the Angel Bus committee, explained in a release, “the significant gifts of $1,000 each will be put towards the ongoing operational budget of the bus. After the purchase of the bus last April, a yearly operational budget of $12,000 to $15,000 remains the fundraising focus of the Angel Bus committee. Most recently the bus has been outfitted with new snow tires and a new heater for the back of the bus to help keep its riders comfortable on cold weather outings.”
“Along with such upgrades, fuel costs and maintenance needs, the operational budget covers such annual expenses as insurance, driver certification requirements and advertising to highlight donors and the bus itself within the community,” notes the release.
“The Angel Bus made its first run on April 22 of this year,” the release continues. “By year’s end it will have been used for at least 45 outings. Most riders have been residents of the Gore Bay Manitoulin Lodge, however, other community members with accessibility needs have also been serviced. Outings have included picnics, Providence Bay Fair, Bluegrass in the Country, school and community choir concerts, Eye Van and medical appointments. The Angel Bus with Lodge residents even rode in the Santa Claus parade.”
“As Angle Bus committee members see it, factoring the average number of riders per outing at six, multiplied by 45 outings, means that since last April the lives of important yet vulnerable members of our community have been enriched, normalized or received necessary medical attention 270 times. The Angel Bus project has been embraced by local citizens, clubs and businesses, and others from afar with strong local ties. Along with our now 11 volunteer drivers and dispatcher, their caring generosity has made its success possible.”
