SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL of TAFT
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS

Soroptimist International of Taft embarked on an aggressive multi-year Service Project in 1998/1999. The original goal was to raise funds for Critical Care Transportation for those individuals in the community on kidney dialysis, chemotherapy, radiation, or other critical treatment programs. After some preliminary meetings with several stakeholder organizations, our goal was to purchase a bus and donate it to one of the stakeholder organizations to operate. As can happen with any aggressive project, Soroptimist International of Taft realized that purchasing the bus was not going to end the financial responsibility; therefore, the goal was reviewed and modified. Currently, Soroptimist International of Taft is working in conjunction with Kern Regional Transit System who provides transit services between Taft and Bakersfield and access to a medical van for transport to critical care facilities.

SI of Taft is formulating an awareness brochure outlining the services available and plans to place them in the offices of physicians locally and in Bakersfield. This should help “get the word out” about the transportation services available. SI of Taft is also in the process of formulating guidelines whereby Soroptimist will provide funding for the transportation when needed either through Kern Regional Transit, the local taxi service, or Hall Ambulance Service. The goal of the Critical Care Transportation Project is not only to provide transportation for those individuals accessing critical care services, but also to provide some respite for the care givers when necessary. Funding the Critical Care Transportation Project began with a concert sponsored by SI of Taft in Spring 1999. In October 1999, SI of Taft opened a “classy” second hand store called The Tumbleweed Shop. SI of Taft is currently in the process of moving The Tumbleweed to a larger building because we have outgrown the small store we started in. Soroptimist International of Taft is blessed to have local community support.