The PERKIE Travels program is a non-profit organization that is a very well-known service offered in the Castle Country area. The program assists with transportation for individuals needing to travel daily up to Provo for radiation treatments.
Coordinator, Lisa Martinez explains how the program came about, “What had actually happened was my aunt was receiving radiation treatments in Provo and we just weren’t familiar with you know someone needing radiation treatments and it was going to be every day. So, one day actually when I had taken her up there, she mentioned all these people she saw coming in from the area that she knew and she said you know you have that van at your office couldn’t you take people in? So, we start kind of kicking the idea around and I went back and proposed the idea to Nancy Bentley and she thought it was a great idea and we just kind of went from there.” Transportation to receive treatments are offered daily, five days a week to help folks get to and from their appointments.
Martinez is retiring in a few months and passing the torch off to Stina Sorenson who will be the new coordinator. Sorenson is very familiar in how the program is ran as she is also a driver for PERKIE a few days a week. “We offer a ride from anywhere in the Carbon County area, Emery County, and we take them up to Provo, Utah Valley, Revere Center for radiation treatments and they are very important to the continuation and completion of cancer clients,” said Sorenson. Sorenson is looking forward to continuing to drive a few days a week while coordinating the PERKIE Program.
During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the PERKIE Travel Program had to shut is doors for a bit. “Since then, the Health Department has given us a go that we are able to go ahead and transport clients back and forth again. For precautions we keep the social distancing inside the van. We ask them to sit in the back, the second seat in the back which is a captain’s chair in the van. For social distancing purposes the van is wiped down before and after the client is in and we’re up and going,” said Sorenson. The pick-up locations for Emery County residents are either in Castle Dale or Huntington. Residents from Price or East Carbon meet at the Active Re-Entry Office located at 10 North fairgrounds Road, which leaves Helper residents to be picked up at Swifts Stop & Shop.
The PERKIE Travel Program is always seeking donations towards their cause. If there are any businesses, civic groups or individuals that would like to donate to the PERKIE Travels Program can do so by either calling Active Re-Entry at (435) 637-4950 or stop by their office at 10 South Fairgrounds Road.
To learn more about this extraordinary community-based transportation program visit their website at https://www.arecil.org/