Everyone from the mailman to the grocery clerk is being hailed as a hero these days and rightfully so, but here in Fountain Hills there is a group of volunteers going about their business with no acclaim, and that’s really the way they want it.

For years in the community the town has offered services provided by dedicated but unassuming volunteers, but during the COVID-19 pandemic these people have stepped it up to help the homebound while placing themselves at some risk.

The town’s Give-a-Lift and Home Delivered Meals volunteers are working to serve additional people who find themselves confined to home, when they might not normally be able to do things for themselves.

The Give-a-Lift program, established almost a decade ago, has been adapted to serve the needs of homebound residents that are being affected by pandemic restrictions, according to Town Volunteer Coordinator Kimberly Wickland.

“Give-a-Lift drivers can now pick up online grocery orders and deliver them, as well as pick up medication prescriptions from the pharmacy and deliver them,” Wickland said in an email to The Times.

“Our April Give-a-Lift ride requests were reduced considerably due to COVID-19, but in the last week our ride requests are really picking back up; just yesterday I received five ride requests.

“I do have a core group of 20 drivers that has been wonderful throughout this very trying time; to date we have been able to fulfill 100 percent of all requested rides.”

Due to Give-a-Lift being deemed an essential town service, town staff is available to help supplement ride requests if regular volunteer drivers were not able to fulfill any ride request.

Gerard Bisceglia has been a volunteer Give-a-Lift driver for nine years. He typically makes two to four trips a week. Those are mostly for medical needs, doctor visits and his riders generally have some physical limitation. He said one regular he helps is blind.

Bisceglia said many of the people who use Give-a-Lift can no longer drive themselves

Bisceglia said he was looking for some way to volunteer when he heard about the program.

“I found out just how rewarding it was,” he said.

Bisceglia credits retired Volunteer Coordinator Heather Ware for developing the idea and building a strong program. He said Wickland has done a great job maintaining and building on that.

“We are helping very nice people who are grateful to have someone they can rely on, it relieves a lot of stress and anxiety,” Bisceglia said. “They don’t realize it is as gratifying to us as it is to them.”

The Town of Fountain Hills does participate in the Valley Metro “Ride Choice” program, according to Vice Mayor Mike Scharnow, who represents the town on the transportation board. He is uncertain how many local residents participate. The town supplements the cost of the program in the amount of about $15,000 annually. This is funding the town receives from the Public Transportation Fund.

RideChoice is for ADA paratransit certified people with disabilities and seniors 65 and older who reside in participating communities. RideChoice has a cost to the rider of $3 for each trip up to eight miles, with an additional $2 per mile for each mile over eight.

Meals

The Home Delivered Meals program is running strong during the pandemic, according to Senior Services Supervisor Jennifer Lyons. She credits program coordinator Nita Blose with keeping things operating smoothly and handling any additional workload.

“We have had a few volunteers that have either stopped or requested a temporary break from delivering but we have had many offers from the community and staff to volunteer to deliver to ensure all clients receive meals,” Lyons said. “Numbers have steadily increased over the past three months. In February 450 meals were delivered. In March 472 meals were delivered. In April 520 meals were delivered.

“Currently we have added an additional route on the weekends to accommodate meal needs.”

Home Delivered Meals recently delivered its milestone awards to its volunteers.

Those with 20 years of service are Doug and Karen Downey and Jay and Denise Schlum.

Those recognized with 15 years of service include Peggy and Chuck Gauthier, Rose and Del Geath, Martin Smith, Bonnie and Gary Spedl, Julie Stewart and Donna Yordy.

These volunteers would normally be recognized at the annual Volunteer Reception held by the Town. That event had to be cancelled for this spring, although a fall event is being planned.