Boone Electric Community Trust presented OATS Transit with a check on September 24, 2018 totaling $20,000. This money was given in an effort to ensure Boone County residents are provided reliable transportation to allow them to live independently in their own communities.
Like OATS Transit, Boone Electric Cooperative who administers the Community Trust is headquartered in Columbia, MO, but also serves several other counties. “This donation from the Boone Electric Community Trust is possible because of the generosity of Boone Electric’s membership. Cooperative members can round up their utility bills each month as a way to give back to their community through our Operation Round Up program.” said Boone Electric Community Trust Coordinator Rhonda Proctor.
These funds will be used as the local match toward the purchase of two new mini-buses for Boone County residents. These buses are used by seniors and people with disabilities seeking rides to work and medical transportation, plus other daily living needs. 44% of the service provided in Boone County alone is for transportation to work, 38% for medical and the remaining for other needs such as nutrition, essential shopping and business errands.
“We are grateful that organizations like the Boone Electric Community Trust are dedicated to giving back to the communities they serve,” said Dorothy Yeager, Executive Director of OATS Transit. “Last year, we provided 1.5 million trips and covered 15.6 million miles."
