A bus used for much-needed and much-appreciated outings for residents of the Sault’s Ontario Finnish Resthome Association (OFRA) has served its purpose well for the past 10 years, but the need is clear for a new bus.
To that end, OFRA officials have been fundraising for the purchase of a new bus for the past couple of years.
“It’s in need of a few things,” said Krystal Sonoc, OFRA activities aide, speaking of the current bus, as a group of the resthome’s residents sold raffle tickets inside Pino’s Get Fresh lobby Wednesday.
“It is safe to drive, we just had it inspected last week, but there is a leak in the roof. It doesn’t affect the driving but it can cause mold, so that’s something we worry about. Our lift is functional, but it can be scary for residents to get on there if they have dementia or mobility issues,” Sonoc said.
The bus is used to give residents a chance to get out of the resthome and visit places around the city, St. Joseph Island or Batchawana Bay.
“We’re worried about doing those things now. We all have our cell phones to call a tow truck just in case, so it’s really important to get the residents a new bus. It’s important for them to get out,” Sonoc said.
The current bus can seat 12 residents who are mobile and without wheelchairs (with storage space for walkers), or six seats can be folded up to accommodate residents with wheelchairs.
A new custom built bus for OFRA, which will cost $160,000, will be able to accommodate 16 passengers.
“We won’t have stairs on the new bus. We’ll have a ramp that folds out like the city buses. It helps residents walk in and allows them to maintain their dignity as well,” Sonoc said.
72 per cent of that required $160,000 has been raised so far, said Heidi Schell, OFRA purchasing and marketing agent.
A raffle is being held to raise funds for the new bus, with some attractive prizes as an incentive for ticket buyers (tickets are $20 each).
First prize is a trip down the Danube River from Prague to Budapest, second prize a Sandals Bahamas resort vacation, with third, fourth and fifth prizes of cash amounts exceeding $1,000.
Prizes in previous years included items such as four wheelers or a sauna.
Winning tickets will be drawn at the fourth annual OFRA Harvest Fest gala, to be held beginning at 6 p.m. Sept. 6 at The Machine Shop.
Funds raised from the raffle will go to the bus, the gala money toward OFRA’s new long-term care redevelopment project (the new Mauno Kaihla Koti).
“If we sell out our raffle tickets this year, we will get that bus,” Sonoc said.
More information on the fourth annual OFRA Harvest Fest gala, the bus raffle and where to buy tickets, may be found on OFRA’s website