The Daily News

The Twin Towns is filled with people in their 80s who still live at home, the place where they raised their family, everything is familiar and they get along pretty well. The one thing many of these elderly persons don't do is drive.

Beyond the taxi service, there is no public mode of transportation within the Twin Towns so getting to appointments or even grocery shopping is difficult. To compensate, Wilkin County has a volunteer driver program that mainly helps elderly get around town. Don Young of Breckenridge began volunteer driving right after retiring from Primewood five years ago. He's one of 27 volunteer drivers currently serving Wilkin County. Eleven are from Breckenridge, four from Campbell, Minn., five from Rothsay, Minn., and Wolverton, Minn., has seven in the area. "We have four husband/wife teams that assist in transporting citizens of Wilkin County," said Wilkin County Family Services Director David Sayler.

These volunteers are used to transport foster children to medical appointments and on occasion transport foster children to visit their parents when parents are unable to provide transportation, Sayler said. Volunteers may be asked to transport individuals to counseling sessions or to the local pharmacy. Young takes riders to doctor appointments and designated locations out of town. He uses his own vehicle and is reimbursed for mileage. "Our agency reimburses volunteer drivers .445 cents per mile (the IRS rate) and will also reimburse the driver's meals if they are gone four hours or more," Sayler said. If a person needs transportation to Rochester, Minn., for a medical appointment they will be reimbursed for the overnight costs of a motel.

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Volunteer drivers enhance the work of agencies in the community. Whether transporting a rider to a senior citizen center for lunch or driving to a doctor appointment, the volunteer services are invaluable. There are always volunteers needed in any community and those that make the commitment sometimes feel they gain as much as those they are helping. In both Wahpeton and Breckenridge there are volunteers who drive people to appointments across town and out of town. Drivers can choose the days, times and area they wish to drive. Young said he sometimes puts in six to seven hours driving round trip, but usually a trip takes only three to four hours of the day.

Wilkin County Aging Coordinator Linda Dietz is Young's contact person through Wilkin County and she schedules what is needed, where the driver goes and estimates how long the drive will take. The time on the road isn't wasted. "I have good conversations with many of those I transport," Young said. The general role of the volunteer is to be friendly, a safe transporter of people challenged in some way and unable to drive themselves. Sayler said many of the drivers report developing a rapport with clients. They enjoy visiting, he said.

Richland County Social Services is researching the idea of utilizing volunteer drivers. "It's something we are taking a serious look at to see if it's an option for all of our agency transportation needs," Kristen Hasbargen, Richland County Social Services director said. Richland County Social Services receives requests weekly to assist with transportation for medical appointments, she said. The department needs to research further, particularly with issues of confidentiality and liability.

Young said he follows the regulations and no one knows who he is taking or where they will drive to. "It's nobody else's business but my own," Young said.

Sayler said the county decided to enter into an agreement with the Twin Town Taxi for transportation services in Breckenridge, and to utilize volunteers from the retired senior volunteer program. These volunteers transport seniors and the disabled in rural Wilkin County, he said. "I've taken them to Dent (Minn.) and Willmar (Minn.) picking someone up or dropping them off," Young said. Wilkin County has transported children to placement in the Minnesota cities of Duluth, Onamia, Buhl, Willmar, Remer, Bemidji, Monticello, Twin Cities, St. Peter and Togo.

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