This group meets the third Thursday of the month from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. in the Bethlehem Room. Please feel free to contact Ann Lane and come and join us for a new book next month. Ann’s phone number is (805) 498-0454.
This Book Club is now donating their “Book of the Month” to our Ascension library for you to borrow. While you get your cup of coffee or tea between services, stop in and check them out!
One of our books, for example, was The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith. This is the light-hearted story of Botswana – the plains of Africa – and Mma (Madame) Ramotswo. When her father dies, she enters the best business she can think of and starts the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. She reminds herself and others that a woman can also be a detective just like Miss Marple. Her adventures take her across Africa in multiple tales of lost husbands, stolen cars, snakes and witchcraft. She is the consummate surprise woman detective who comes up with the answers in unusual ways while solving multiple problems. We all found this to be a delightful read and one we would read again. This is one book in a series of quick, easy reading, all worth an enjoyable afternoon or two. It was also an HBO series.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the SAM’s Tram service from Ascension has been pretty quiet. However, now that many of us have vaccines and feel more comfortable being out and about, it’s time to reintroduce the program! SAM’s Tram is Ascension’s Senior Adult Ministries transportation service. We match seniors from our congregation that need rides to local appointments with Ascension volunteers that are willing to drive.
RIDERS
If you’re a senior who needs a ride (or a caregiver for one), please contact me with the ride details. My contact info is at the end of the article. The more lead time you can give me -- at least a week or two is best -- the more likely I can find a driver for you. I’ll let you know either way. The service is free! If you feel compelled to give something, you can give your driver a dollar to go to Ascension’s Caring Ones to help the needy in our area.
DRIVERS
We’re always looking for more volunteer drivers to add to our roster. There is NO long-term commitment. I blast out detailed ride requests via e-mail to all of our drivers. You need only say “yes” to a ride that works for your schedule, and your only commitment is for that one ride. Many of us work and can only drive occasionally. That’s OK! The more drivers we have on our roster, the more likely we can fulfill a given request, and the workload gets spread around. This is a simple and effective ministry and we’d love to have you join us! Please call or e-mail me if you’re interested.
TESTIMONIAL
“[SAM’s Tram was] a blessing to my mom when she could not drive anymore. The friendly drivers got her to her weekly hair appointments, and occasional other doctor/dentist appointments. The social interaction with the drivers gave her a lift and became a bright spot in her declining life quality. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased when two drivers who were more frequent came to my mom’s celebration of life service. What a dedicated group of people, making a difference in the lives of our elders!” — Excerpt from a thank you note written by the daughter of one of our riders
FAST FACTS
- Pastor Steve started SAM’s Tram in 2011.
- Since 2017 we have had 287 ride requests and fulfilled 220 of them (77%)
- 69% of our requests are for doctor appointments, 9% for worship services, 8% for beauty/barber, and 14% “other”
Please pray for our SAM’s Tram riders and drivers, and contact me anytime if we can be of service to you, or if you you’d like to join us as a driver.
Sincerely,
Brian Festerling SAM’s Tram Coordinator
805-558-8076 (cell)
ps - we've had an uptick in requests and could always use new drivers.