Page 24 - SWTDD ANNUAL REPORT

Mid-East Community Action Agency/ Round About Roane
The Mid-East Community Action Agency’s Round About Roane (RAR) program provided its first ride on February 1, 2016, and to date has provided more than 720 essential
trips. Round About Roane provides volunteer-assisted, senior-friendly, door-through- door transportation for essential trips within Roane County, and outside of Roane
County for medical trips only. Round About Roane is a membership program. The annual membership fee is $25 and each round trip is $6. The program strives to keep older adults independent and part of their community. During the first year of the grant award, they became part of the East Tennessee Senior Volunteer Transportation Task Force. This group has vetted potential grant recipients for the East TN region and has been a place to network, share concerns, and learn from best practices.
Round About Roane has applied for and been awarded two United Way Community Investment grants in support of Round About Roane. Due to this grant funding, RAR
has been able to hire and maintain a part-time position for the program to handle incoming trip requests, answer questions about the program, and provide outreach in the community about the program.
Round About Roane - Driver Spotlight
Mr. Marcus Melton was the first volunteer driver for Round About Roane. Marcus has a passion for helping others. He had been driving his fellow church members to appointments and errands for years prior to joining Round About Roane. When he heard about this program, he decided that this would be a way to help even more people in Roane County.
When asked what he enjoys most about his volunteering with Round About Roane he stated, “I enjoy meeting new people and helping my community.”
Before moving back to East Tennessee where he completed his long career with TVA, Marcus was in the Air Force for four years, and worked for Southern Bell in Atlanta. Marcus volunteers for Round About Roane on a weekly basis and is always ready with a smile and a helping hand for the seniors he serves.
23