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Driving Force: Nonprofit that provides free transportation to medical appointments turns 20
- faithinactionnsval
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
By TABITHA REEVES The Winchester Star
Mar 4, 2024 Updated Mar 4, 2024
WINCHESTER — A serious medical diagnosis often means being hit with a slew of doctor’s appointments.
For older or lower income populations, coordinating transportation to each and every visit can feel impossible, according to Traci Toth, executive director of the nonprofit Wheels for Wellness.
Being diagnosed with a serious illness “is something hard to swallow,” Toth said. “And then you’re in the doctor’s office and they give you a list of 30 appointments you need to attend over the next few months.”
That can feel overwhelming, especially if the person lacks reliable transportation.
Thanks to Wheels for Wellness — formerly known as Faith in Action — patients in the Winchester area don’t have to worry about how they’re going to get to all those appointments.
“Instead, they just turn around and hand us that list and it takes all of that off of them,” Toth said.
This year, Wheels for Wellness is celebrating 20 years of providing free transportation to those in the region who need rides to medical appointments. All but two of the organization’s workers are volunteers. Wheels for Wellness is the only service of the kind in the region that does not have restrictions on who can receive help, besides requiring that clients can get in and out of a car.
From 2022 to 2023, the number of rides provided by Wheels for Wellness doubled from 1,667 to 3,390, according to data provided by Toth.
She attributed the increase to people resuming in-person medical appointments following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The data also cites 3,564 total volunteer hours logged and 75,300 miles traveled among the 30 active drivers in 2023.
Most clients are 55 and older, though they have been as young as 21, according to Toth. Of those utilizing the service, 58.1% are getting rides to dialysis appointments, 7.3% for cancer treatment and the remainder for miscellaneous medical appointments.
“They are just so grateful because we are their last resort,” she said.
Asked why people volunteer with Wheels for Wellness, Toth said, “There’s lots of different reasons people do it, but most of it is just because they know how badly these people need to get to their appointments. And how much they would appreciate it if the tables were turned.”
Toth, who has worked for the organization for 10 years, is dedicating much of her time to volunteer recruitment lately, saying that the organization is “stretched thin” as it grows in popularity, though maintains an almost perfect request fill rate. She has been speaking at various local organizations and meetings in an effort to recruit more volunteers.
Drivers often form genuine friendships with those they help, Toth said, recalling instances where some have gone out to lunch together. When a client passes away, those who knew them through Wheels for Wellness often attend their funeral services.
There is no requirement for the amount of time or miles a volunteer must give, she said. Volunteers sign up for what fits into their schedule.
As a nonprofit, the group is funded through grants, donations and fundraisers. Toth explained that grants are often very specific on how the money is spent, so Wheels for Wellness relies on fundraising for all administrative costs — gas cards, salaries, rent, insurance and so on.
Wheels for Wellness’ signature fundraiser is Tablescapes, an annual showcase of themed dinner table settings, complete with a raffle, silent auction, refreshments, live harp music and demonstrations.
“You walk through the doors and it is like you have stepped into the pages of a magazine,” Toth said. “I always describe it as a fun, elegant afternoon.”
Guests can vote on their favorite of the 25 tablescape displays using dollars. The displays are designed by 25 decorators, eight of whom are new this year.
Though the number of displays has stayed the same in recent years based on the available space at Millwood Station Banquet Hall, the number of guests has steadily increased. Last year, approximately 150-175 people attended, and Toth hopes for even more this year.
This year’s Tablescapes is scheduled for April 14 from 2-5 p.m. Those interested in attending can purchase their tickets in advance by going to the group’s website wheels4wellness.org, or at the door for $5 more.
In terms of festivities for the group’s 20th anniversary, Toth said ideas are still being discussed, but she hopes that it will be celebrated during Tablescapes. And a party may be held this summer. As a small organization, Wheels for Wellness’s celebration capabilities are limited, but the group aims to do what they can to mark the anniversary.
For more information, Wheels for Wellness can be reached at 540-536-1006.
— Contact Tabitha Reeves at treeves@winchesterstar.com
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