Charlie Morris said he needed something to do. When he retired, he didn’t have a grand plan to go RVing in the Redwoods or fishing in the nearby rivers. He wanted to help. And help he has.
For the last 19 years, Charlie has been a volunteer driver with the Ride Connection and the American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter’s transportation service for older adults and people with disabilities. He always looks forward to Tuesdays when he takes his riders all over the city to the grocery store, doctor appointments, social visits, and more. They all tell him, “I’m sure glad you could do this. I don’t know what I would do without these rides.”
Charlie smiles at the thought of the comments he gets from his riders, but it’s clear to see the pleasure is his. He extols the value of knowing the city as only a routine driver could, cherishes meeting new people, and plainly sees the significance of the service he’s providing. “It’s really something [for my riders] to be able to get out and see the world…even if it’s merely a trip to the grocery store,” says Charlie. He was once laid up because of a surgery that kept him housebound for eight weeks. He says, “There’s nothing more discouraging than being confined in your own four walls.”
Charlie understands the value and importance of Ride Connection’s transportation services. Offering transportation to those who need it enables those riders to maintain independence and to enjoy some of the little pleasures in life, like special holidays such as the upcoming St. Valentine’s Day.
Charlie will enjoy the day for another reason: it’s the day he celebrates 57 wonderful years with his wife. Commitment, dedication and longevity are words Charlie Morris demonstrates very well.
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