TOOELE COUNTY, Utah — In Tooele County, there’s a program that is helping our oldest Utahns get to their medical appointments, and now they’re asking for the public’s help.
It’s called the Salt Lake Medical Program, where volunteer drivers bring seniors to their medical appointments in Salt Lake.
The volunteers pick them up from their homes, and some even stay with them if they need to. The shifts for volunteers are usually about 4 to 5 hours between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The county provides a car for the volunteers.
Cissy Morton, the transportation manager, started the program about 14 years ago. She said since then, they’ve seen the impact of this service to the county’s seniors.
“Pre-COVID, I had 19 volunteers,” she said. “After COVID, 4 of them came back. I have 7 volunteers now. We have the 7 volunteers that I have are amazing. They bend over backwards to help our seniors to get in there. They know the need. They know the demand. It's a very moving and rewarding program.”
Calie Thurmon is one of those volunteers who said it’s a way to give back to the community that she’s seen grow over the last 30 years. She’s been volunteering for the last few months, and she said she’s seen people in her car become friends.
She said they’re finding community that they otherwise wouldn’t have found. “But I like to be in service to people,” she said.
For seniors like Gary Crossley, it was the only way he was able to see his wife, who was in the hospital with dementia. This year, she passed away. “With my eyes, I couldn’t drive anymore,” he said. “I was able to take up a dozen and a half red roses and a stuffed puppy.”
His driver, Frank, was able to stay with him and provide him with support during this time. Crossley said it was so important to him that someone would have his back and help him as he visited his wife.
“I couldn’t leave the house without it,” Crossley said.
For Claudia and Layne Slack, it was also important to have someone help them get to their appointments. They have to head to Salt Lake at least once a month for their doctor's appointments.
“We have to schedule a long time out on this service because of the limited amount of volunteers,” Claudia said.
So Morton said that’s where they need the public’s help — for more people to volunteer. They ask that drivers are at least 25 years of age, have a valid driver's license, pass a background check, and meet with the department head.
“If you don’t think you’re needed, you’re needed,” Thurmon said.
If anyone is interested in volunteering, contact Tooele County Transportation at 435-843-4114.
