Just a bump to request more prayers for a friend. :love:
Just a bump to request more prayers for a friend. :love:
I am putting this question out for all of you - it is just an idea.
Could we raise $9,000.00 by appealing to local retailers or all of the places that they take the seniors to shop. For example, the dry cleaners, the drug store, the grocery store, the shoe repair man, the pet shop etc. I know that the people who use the service have to pay for it - but could they contribute to
an account we could set up - say $1.00 each. Would pet talkers put in $1.00 each.
It just seems as though 9,000.00 isn't that much money and we could do it.
What are your thoughts? Are we asking for trouble? (for example, next year they want us to raise $10,000.)
I am just putting this out there for your thoughts.
xxoo, Connie - do you know how to ride a motorcycle? (just kidding).
I won't kid about offering more prayers for you though.:love:
Heck, I could put in $5. I bet the bus driver has friends and family that would chip in.
Connie, maybe a Facebook page could be set up for this?
I'm in!
Quote:
Originally Posted by gini
I don't know but I'd be willing to donate.Quote:
Originally Posted by gini
Hi, everyone! Thanks for the offers of donations. It might come to that but I won't know until after the city manager has a meeting with the bus people sometime this month.
When I talked to him, he offered to go to some of the businesses in town and ask if they could chip in once he knew the amount we need. Until they have that meeting, everything is on hold. I had suggested a fund raiser or something on that order. They are also to have meetings with us who use and need the service. Hopefully it will be a time the bus is running so I can get there.
I'll let you know more when I know more.
This should only be a one time thing. I have been told that next year the bus operation will be taken over by SeCap which operates most of the bus services in our area. They couldn't take us this year because they had already arranged to take on a bus service from another town. Their charter only allows them to take on one new one a year.
Meantime, keep the prayers coming.
Gini, I am too short to get my leg over a motor cycyle plus the old arthritis says no!!! I have concidered a scooter though with a little trailer to pull behind for cat supplies. :D:love:
Or maybe a horse and buggy!!! People let their dogs run free and poop in my yard. A horse wouldn't add much more to that from some of the, um, gifts left by some of those dogs.:D
I found out that on Tuesday at 9 am our city manager, chamber of commerce and city commisioners and the bus people and several of the business managers are having a meeting to see what they can to to keep our bus running.
Please keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming!!! :love:
Continuing prayers and good wishes that this will work out satisfactorily.
It seems to me like this should be regarded by your community as an essential service.
I'd be willing to donate if necessary, even though I couldn't give much. But I know how helpless it makes you feel if you're depending on other peoples' decisions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will all work out!
Thank you to all who have offered to help. I did mention that I had offers when I talked to the guy on the board in charge of the bus last night. He said tell everyone thanks but he believes, like I do, that the city needs to be held responsible for helping us out. It seems they not only could afford to buy a golf course for the well to do people in town but helped bail out our local SRS (welfare) office that was to close two years ago and move out of town. (that is a state funded operation so the old excuse that the city has nothing to do with the bus won't fly because they have even less to do with the SRS office) If they can afford that, they have no excuse not to help us specially since the city uses the bus to ferry peole to and from when they have holidays in the park events through the year.
On another note: I finally gave in and called the police last night. I had mentioned that after my letter to the editor was in the paper someone had been messing with my old car. Well since then, little things kept happening. Over New Years weekend a solar powered accent light I had by my porch was stolen.
So, I called an electrician and had my security lights fixed. They had not been working and I hadn't felt the need for them until that was stolen.
The system on the shed by the car just needed new bulbs and I put a new system on the house. The second night the someone unscrewed the ones on the shed. I screwed them back in.
I didn't turn those on until 11pm last night because the system is old and the lights say on when I turn them on from inside the house. (the new ones on the house are automatic and won't come on until dark and are motion activated)
Anyway, I got up at one o'clock and the shed ones were still on. When I got up at 3 they were off but the one on the house had turned on however. So, I put on my coat and heavy shoes, grabbed a flashlight and my cell phone. (I have the police on speed dial)
Someone had stolen the new bulbs by the shed!!!! I was just sick. I haven't even gotten the bill to pay for those yet.
So, eventhough it was after 3 am, I called the police and reported it. I stayed outside until he got there. I figure I might as well wake up the neighborhood since there's a good chance one of them caused this.
Anyway, I told him about everything that has been going on and when he asked if I wanted to file a police report I told him no because the last thing I need is my name in the paper again right now. I just wanted them to know what has been going on around here.
He said they will run by and check on things during the night for the next several days. He thinks it's probably kids because this sort of thing is going on all over town. Or maybe a neighbor who didn't like the lights because they are very bright. Well too bad if that's the case. If they had left me alone in the first place I wouldn't have started turning them on.
I still had the old bulbs the electricians had taken out and one of them still worked. So the policeman put them in the sockets for me with the working one toward my car. He did mention that regular household light bulbs would work in that fixture and would be cheaper and less bright and less likely to be stolen. Who knew? I didn't !!! I figured it needed those gigantic bulbs.
Anyway, please keep me in your prayers. I'm not scared, I'm just mad as heck!!!:love:
So sorry to hear you are going through some discouraging times. Hopefully the police are right and it's just kids playing a prank. Keeping you and this situation in my prayers.
I have never understood people breaking/taking/wrecking someone else's things for the sport of it. I hope things get better for you soon.
Thank everyone for the prayers and support. I talked with my neighbor lady last night. Her little grand daughter lives with her and Halloween night the baby's stroller was taken right off their front porch. Which is well lit by a street lamp by the way. That was the same night someone broke my metal handrail to the front porch. Anyway, we are gonna keep an eye out for each other.
Here is a link to the article about a meeting discussing our bus system. It was our commissioners regular meeting I think. Our mayor seems to be the one digging his heels in. What the article doesn't tell is the city bought all the commissioners brand new ipads, a golf course (which they are currently remodeling), put in a skate park, and helped bail out the local SRS (welfare) office but they squawk at helping us. I noticed they never once mentioned paying the bus for all the times they use it free. It shuttles people to and from a parking lot down into our park area during our Holidays in the park events. Usually 3 events a year. The very least they could do is pay for the years they had the bus to do it for free.
I was thrilled to see another person had written to them about how much we need that bus.
www.fstribune.com/story/1929547.html
oh, the comment by freckles58 is me.
Keep plugging away! Bit by bit water wears away the strongest stone ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by momoffuzzyfaces
That's good news in a kind of weird way. At least you know you aren't being targeted if it's also happening to other neighbors. There is strength
in numbers & it's good to help each out by keeping an eye out for any other problems. Prayers continue for a good outcome.
After I sent my letter to the Editor a while back, I got a phone call from a guy who manages the meals on wheels and senior citizen projects here. He has been working really hard on our bus situation. He was at the meeting today so I emailed him and asked how the meeting went. Here is his reply:
The meeting went very very very WELL Many thoughts about funding, none of which includid a rise in the fare. (I had suggested that if nothing else a raise in fare might help) End of that, County, some city, maybe not too likely this fiscal year--wasen't budgeted for.. Several other avenues and grant areas yet to explore. I will say that one can sleep soundly and be assured that the transportation situation is important to the CITY and the COUNTY and We got them all running around finding ways so sleep tight.
So, I will sleep tight for now. Please keep the prayers coming though. :love:
I like this news! Prayers still going!
Promising news! Prayers still coming.
They posted an article on the on line paper about the meeting.
Here is the link:
www.fstribune.com/story/1931590.html
I admit I am not happy with the idea of giving up one of the vans. They are easier to get in and put supplies in the trunk when we need to. They have to keep the big bus because it has the wheel chair lift. But I've delt with it before and could do it again. It is the most expensive to operate though and about shakes your bones out when it runs over our brick streets.
I sort of get the impression that the ones who are managing the service don't really have their hearts in it. The "looking to get out of the transportation service" concerns me. I have had that feeling for a while but just didn't want to believe I was right. Hopefully, if another company takes it over, they will do well with it. For now, we just need to keep it going.:love:
Hopefully, the powers that be, can come up with a workable solution. I can't imagine being faced with no means of transportation. Maybe I'll give thanks the next time I walk to my car, get in and go wherever I want, whenever I want. I guess I've just always taken for granted that it was there at my disposal, without even giving much thought to those who aren't so fortunate.
Prayers for a positive outcome in this dilemma.
Being without a car is worse than you can imagine. It's one thing to do without it for a day or so but to not be able to go where you want when you want is nerve wracking. I was so used to just hopping in my car and going somewhere that having to wait on someone to pick me up was very stressful. Heck there are times I could have been to Walmart and back by the time the bus got me there if I still drove.Quote:
Originally Posted by pomtzu
It's giving up your independence. I can't go any where on weekends or holidays or after 5 pm because the bus doesn't run. Sometimes you have to wait a long time for them to get you. 45 minutes has been my longest wait time so far but apt to be longer since they cut the hours down.
You have to plan you life in advance, around the bus schedule.
If something horrible should happen and I'd need to evacuate. I can't.
Yep, be very very thankful you have a car. :love:
Moff, I hope there'll be a good solution to this, it must be horrible to not be able to go anywhere. I'm lucky that I have several busses close by, and I can still bicycle.
The official word has come: they now have funding to keep the buses running until the end of June 2014. :D
Even then, there is a good chance our city will help fund it. They have become aware of just how vital that bus is to our town. Thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. I know they helped. :love::love:
Ride MOFF! RIDE!;):D
Yay! We the people rule! :)
Good news, no it's great news.:):) I am so glad for you & the others who depend on city transportation.:)
YAHOO! Great news! :D
Hallelujah!!!!!
I just read the entire thread. I am so glad and relieved for you that the buses will continue to run which is such a vital service for you and others.
That's great news!
Moff, I am just thrilled for you. This must have relieved your mind and the kitties too.............."chow"
will still arrive on time!! Ha Ha.