Drivers Urgently Needed

By FISH Of Newtown

By Nancy K. Crevier

Seeing a need for transportation service for the elderly and infirm to medical appointments, a group of Newtown residents initiated FISH of Newtown in 1969. At the time, there was a bus line that stopped in town, recalled FISH member Ellen Parrella, but even so, the demand for transportation was greater than that provided by the bus service, and since then, public transportation has disappeared entirely from Newtown.

FISH of Newtown provides free rides to all Newtown residents unable to drive themselves, who need to be taken to medical appointments and for medical tests at laboratories, or to rehabilitation facilities in Danbury, Bethel, Southbury, or Brookfield. A small contribution is encouraged, however, to cover the cost of the telephone answering service and administrative costs, and is at the discretion of the client. Volunteers do not drive on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Days, and the service is not a substitute for emergency transportation.

As the town has grown and public transportation diminished, demands for the volunteer service have grown, as well. An aging population and the advent of “over 55” housing in town has increased the patient load. “Today,” said Ms Parrella in an email to The Newtown Bee, “FISH of Newtown finds itself urgently in need of volunteer drivers. On many days, FISH receives calls from as many as six, eight, or even ten patients requesting rides to doctors’ appointments. It is impossible to satisfy that many requests,” she said, “with only two volunteer drivers per day on the schedule.”

To date, FISH has not had to turn down any patients, but the drivers have had to double up patients in cars and wait for one another at different appointments. “That’s not too much fun for any of them,” said Ms Parrella.

Volunteer drivers must own a car in good repair, have a current license, and have access to an up-to-date map of Newtown and surrounding towns. “Twice a month, for about three hours each, is all the commitment that is asked to become a FISH driver,” pleaded Ms Parrella. “This is an opportunity to return something to the community and to help take the burden of finding a ride to a medical appointment off of those who need help. You will feel you have contributed your share to making it ‘Nicer in Newtown,’ and will have made a difference in the lives of the people that you help.”

To volunteer or for more information on becoming a FISH driver, call Colleen Honan at 203-426-0714, Fred Stakel at 203-426-2336, or Ellen Parrella at 203-426-6470.