Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Senior Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lafayette residents say La Mirinda Spirit Van keeps seniors independent and connected
Summary
Three Lafayette residents told meeting attendees during public comment that the La Mirinda Spirit Van provides transportation for people 60 and older, helping them attend medical appointments, shop, visit friends and avoid isolation.
Three Lafayette residents speaking during public comment described how the La Mirinda Spirit Van provides rides that help people 60 and older maintain independence and social connections.
The speakers said the volunteer-run service gives older residents practical transportation — to medical appointments, shopping and errands — and also provides social contact that counteracts loneliness. “We live in this beautiful area that has so much to offer, but there's a lack of transportation options which limits seniors who don't drive,” one resident said. “The mission of La Mirinda Spirit Van is to help seniors simply continue to live their life independently for as long and as safely as possible. What that means is seniors can maintain their dignity. They can keep up with their social connections. They can not be left in isolation.”
Another resident said the service keeps seniors engaged in community life: “They can be an active contributing member of the community and also give back, not just receive, which does wonders for their own self esteem and their self worth.”
A second commenter described program eligibility and gave personal examples: anyone 60 or older in the Lafayette area is eligible for rides, the resident said, and recounted using the Spirit Van to take a cat to the veterinarian and meeting a close friend on that first trip. That speaker said they began the service after moving to Lafayette and experiencing dizziness and isolation; after using the Spirit Van, they said, “Now I go where I want. I do what I want.”
A third speaker who volunteers with the program described a regular schedule and the interpersonal dimension of rides. “I have the same shift, every week with Love and Read Spirit Vans. So every Thursday, I get to take my same passengers and really get to know them well and we tell a lot of stories,” the volunteer said. The volunteer added that rides are more than transportation: they foster conversation, trust and friendship.
Speakers used slightly different names in their remarks for the service (transcript references include “La Mirinda Spirit Van,” “Love and Read Spirit Vans,” and one instance of “La Marina Spirit”); the comments presented the service as a volunteer-run transportation option for Lafayette-area residents 60 and older. The transcript did not record any formal motion or action related to the remarks.
