UCHRA Unveils MyRide Volunteer Transit Program

January 23, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Transportation Department of Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency has unveiled a new senior-friendly, volunteer-based program designed to provide additional transportation opportunities to area residents 60 and older.

MyRide Upper Cumberland is a volunteer-based transportation program, focusing on providing “door-through-door” service to seniors and simultaneously increasing independence for those clients. MyRide programs already exist in numerous regions within the state.

MyRide is designed for seniors who are able to walk on their own or with the assistance of a cane or walker. Our trained, caring volunteers assist clients with getting to and from appointments and errands. Differing from traditional transportation services, volunteer drivers will also assist clients to and from the vehicle, to their destination – the door-through-door component. Volunteers use their own personal vehicle to transport seniors to various appointments or errands.

By offering an additional layer of personalized care, MyRide Upper Cumberland allows clients to maintain a level of independence that may have otherwise been difficult to achieve and provides families peace of mind knowing their loved ones are being assisted by trained and monitored volunteers.

In order to receive MyRide services, clients pay a $25 annual membership fee. This annual fee includes the cost of the first three trips. Additional trips thereafter cost $2 each and $1 per each additional stop requested. All trips are pre-paid, and volunteers collect no money.

MyRide has purchased additional auto, medical, and liability insurance coverages for all program volunteers; providing additional peace of mind for drivers and clients alike. In addition, state and federal volunteer protection laws offer another layer of safety for MyRide volunteer drivers. Volunteers also receive training to ensure they are properly prepared to begin transporting clients. All volunteers will receive a t-shirt and vehicle decal to ensure they are easily identified by clients.

With the announcement of the new program, UCHRA has added two new staff members to oversee the development and management of the program – Carey Davenport, MyRide Regional Coordinator, and Megan Templeton, Volunteer Coordinator for MyRide Putnam County.

In order to become a MyRide Upper Cumberland volunteer, drivers must be 21 years of age or older and have a valid Tennessee driver’s license, a clean driving record, proof of insurance, complete a background check and a four-hour training class. All MyRide drivers are asked to volunteer a minimum of three hours per month.

A ribbon cutting ceremony, officially kicking off the new program, is slated for Monday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. at the Cookeville Senior Center, located at 186 S. Walnut Ave.in Cookeville. The public is invited to attend the event and learn more about the MyRide Upper Cumberland program.

For more information about MyRide Upper Cumberland, call (833) MY-RIDE or visit www.myrideuctn.com.

About MyRide
MyRide TN is an expanding, sustainable, senior-friendly volunteer transportation service that has taken root in Tennessee. Volunteer drivers use their personal vehicles to carry older Tennesseans to a variety of destinations, including medical appointments and grocery stores. More than 227,437 rides were provided with TCAD/Older Americans Act funding in 2017.

About Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency
The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1973 to be the delivery system for human resources in the fourteen counties of the region. The programs operated by UCHRA initially included job training and transportation. During ensuing years, the UCHRA has expanded to supply a wide range of services that use a combination of funds from federal, state and local organizations.

January 23, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

DCHS basketball fans will notice new scoreboards in the gym thanks to the support of FirstBank.

Principal Randy Jennings along with Tiger and Lady Tiger Coaches John Sanders and Danny Fish invited Scott Garrett and Casey Midgett out Wednesday afternoon to formally thank them for the new scoreboards, which were provided by FirstBank and recently installed for the basketball season. Garrett is the Market President for FirstBank in this area and Midgett is the Financial Center Manager in Smithville.

Lady Tiger Coach Fish said the new scoreboards are very much appreciated.

“They were kind enough to provide our new scoreboards. Anytime we’re able to get the community involved in our facilities like this it’s a good thing for us and for them. We’re very excited about our new scoreboards. I think it had been 1985 since we had new scoreboards. Now everything is wireless with the operation of the scoreboards complete with backboard lighting attached to the timer and clock. We’re very excited for this partnership,” said Coach Fish.

“We recognize the hard work that these coaches, players, and teachers put into this every day. Casey and I wanted to give a little something back. We both went to school here and played sports here and we’re glad we can be a part of it to make the experience a little bit better,” said Garrett.

January 23, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church is again sponsoring a drive thru mobile food pantry on Friday morning, January 25 rain or shine.

All previous drive thru mobile food pantries by the church have been on Saturdays but this one will be on a Friday.

In partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, the church plans to prepare enough food boxes to serve up to 300 families regardless of their income status, on a first come, first served basis.

Families will receive enough food to last them for a full week. Second Harvest will bring in pallets of food on trucks. The food will then be off loaded and organized in preparation for the distribution.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the food will be delivered from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Unlike most food distributions, those being served by the mobile pantry will not have to get out of their automobiles. They will drive thru in a pickup line and volunteers will deliver the food directly to their vehicles, placing the food boxes either in the back seat or trunk. Cars will line up facing north on College Street across from the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

“It’s a mobile food pantry but it’s also a drive thru. The recipients will stay in their cars. They will line up starting at 8:00 a.m. on College Street and when we have everything prepared and organized we’ll start the line moving, hopefully around 9:00 a.m. Recipients will drive through. As they enter in we’ll have a team there to put a box of food in their cars, either in their back seat or trunk,” said spokesperson Teresa Trapp Brown.

“We will line up right across from the church (Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church) on College Street. We’ll start registration at 8:00 a.m. We’ll need the name of the recipients and how many families are being served. We’re limited to two families per vehicle to make sure we have enough food,” added Isaac Gray, Minister of the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Others who wish to volunteer may show up Friday, January 25 or call for more information at 615-464-7896 or 615-597-4197.

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