Volunteer driving program helps Smoky Lake seniors

By Irene van der Kloet
Seniors who need to go out of town and do not have transportation or do not like to drive in the
city now have a reasonable alternative in Smoky Lake: Drive Happiness. Drive Happiness is a
government-subsidized program offering affordable transportation and door-to-door service
using volunteer drivers. The program is remarkably cheaper than a taxi and more personable
because the rider goes with a volunteer. Recently, Betty Lou Slipchuk from Smoky Lake needed
to go to Edmonton to renew her passport. “I drive in the area and the country, but I don’t like
driving in Edmonton,” she said. “I am on the FCSS Board; Smoky Lake FCSS got the grant for
Drive Happiness. We talked about it, but the program just needed to get started, so Dennis
Hoberg and I spoke about making this trip and seeing how it all works. Dennis had to take a few
steps to be able to do this, like filling out some paperwork. Normally, a trip like this costs $200
with a regular taxi; now, it costs $80. That is a huge difference, especially for a senior. To get a
drive, a person must go to the Town office in Smoky Lake and buy tickets at a minimum of $100
in increments of $10. Whenever you take a trip, no matter where you go, it gets charged to your
tickets. When we made the trip, Dennis had to call about our departure time, and I had to call to
confirm I was in his vehicle. Normally, you would call when you got home, but the trip took
longer than anticipated (because I had to wait four hours at Service Canada), so we got back
late and called the next day.” Betty Lou thinks this is a great asset to the services offered in
Smoky Lake. “When I called, the lady at the Drive Happiness office said she had never had
such a long trip. Usually, trips are about 20 kilometres one way”. Three drivers in Smoky Lake
and the surrounding area are offering a ride through this program, and FCSS is looking for more
volunteer drivers. The program is located out of Edmonton – Smoky Lake was approved for a
grant – and focuses on seniors only. “Our vision is a future where all seniors, regardless of
barriers like income, health or mobility challenges, can access assisted transportation services
to remain active and engaged in their communities,” it says in their brochure. The program is
volunteer-driven, and riders must book at least three business days ahead of time. Drivers need
to sign up and provide information to the Drive Happiness program before being approved, but it
is a simple process. Anyone willing to drive a senior can sign up to become a driver.