SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7
FROM PAGE A1
CAREVAN:
CareVan service
continued from page A1
served as the GSMC board of
trustees’ chairman for a num-
ber of years, and he thought
the hospital should offer a
less expensive way to get
people to their much-needed
appointments. After his death,
the hospital realized just how
much of a needed service it
was.
“They found out that peo-
ple didn’t have a way to get to
their appointments,” Schaan
said.
Schaan said Cricket Nich-
ols, of United Way, com-
pleted a feasibility study and
learned that more than 900
people could use the service
every week in the region,
which stretches from Pend-
leton to Hermiston to Echo
to Hat Rock. After receiving
a grant from the Wildhorse
Foundation to cover some of
the start-up costs and funds
from Paul Parish of Special
Mobility in Kennewick and
the Good Shepherd Com-
munity Health Foundation,
the hospital purchased a van
equipped with a ramp and all
other necessary equipment
for people with medical is-
sues. ,n its ¿rst month of ser-
vice in December 2006, the
hospital gave 77 rides.
Since then, the van has
provided nearly 18,000 rides
to people. The service is near-
ly entirely funded by dona-
tions, largely given by the
riders using the service.
Fitch said she donates $5
every time she uses the ser-
vice. She also donates $100
on her husband’s birthday and
on their anniversary because
The CareVan op-
erates from 8:30 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday. Care-
Van travels to Herm-
iston, Echo, Stan¿eld,
Umatilla, Irrigon and
Boardman to pick up
and deliver patients to
medical appointments
in Hermiston. For
more information, or
to reserve a ride, call
541-667-3888.
she not only appreciates the
service, she also wants to
honor her husband’s memo-
ry. She said her husband gave
much of himself for the hos-
pital, and it deserves a little
something back from her as
well.
“I’m so proud of him,” she
said. “This is a service that is
so wonderful.”
Tina Cullers, coordinator
for CareVan, said the service
also wouldn’t be possible
without its volunteer drivers.
Retired area school teach-
er Gary Miller said he has
been driving for the past three
and a half years, and it has
brought him nothing but joy.
“It was recommended to
me by another driver who
told me that, after 32 years of
teaching, it would be a good
way to give back to the com-
munity,” he said. “I love be-
ing able to visit with people.
It is nice to be able to help out
people who can’t do some
of these things on their own.
I’m glad to help out, and most
people seem very thankful.”
The program has also
given back to other organi-
About Clearview
Clearview is in the process of obtaining an ambu-
lance, which will have the capability of transporting
non-emergency patients on stretchers. The organiza-
tion operates with volunteers and two paid drivers
and is always looking for more volunteers. For more
information about the Clearview Mediation organiza-
tion, call 541-276-1130.
EAT
SHOP
PLAY
zations that provide similar
services. This week, Care-
Van donated one of its older
vehicles, a 2006 van worth
about $6,800, to Clearview
Mediation Disability Re-
source Center. Darrin Um-
barger, career counseling
specialist for the organi-
zation, and his son Jeremy
Umbarger, program man-
ager, said they offer rides
to clients from Pendleton
and Hermiston to as far as
Portland for medical ap-
pointments. While the ser-
vice typically isn’t free, the
center works with insurance
and other health organiza-
tions to fund the program.
Schaan said hospital ad-
ministrators are happy to
provide transportation to area
residents and also help others
doing the same thing.
“We are thrilled when we
found out the hospital decid-
ed to donate it to you,” she
said to Darrin and Jeremy
Umbarger.
MAEGAN MURRAY PHOTOS
Good Shepherd Medical Center Volunteer Manager Cindy Schaan hands the keys to a van
to Darrin Umbarger, career counseling specialist at Clearview Mediation Disability Resource
Center. GSMC donated the van from its CareVan program to Clearview so that Clearview could
expand their service offerings in Hermiston.
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