Celebrating Volunteer Drivers

On Sept. 12, NDN hosted a driver appreciation luncheon at the historic Viles House in Augusta. We welcomed more than fifteen drivers and guests who enjoyed a buffet of home cooked soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as a variety of homemade desserts, all provided by our dedicated board members.

All drivers were recognized for their contributions and some were highlighted for noteworthy milestones— including Steve Symonds, who has done 126 trips with 3,628 miles driven since 2022. As a token of our appreciation, drivers received gift cards to various establishments in the community.

Many drivers expressed similar positive sentiments about why they volunteer and had kind words about the riders they drive. Driver Rob True said, “They (riders) are very appreciative, and are amazed that we volunteer our time, cars and gas. It’s a wonderful service, and you meet really nice people.”

Honoring Our Founders

On August 3, Neighbors Driving Neighbors was very happy to honor its co-founders, Sandy Wright and Dr. Dan Onion, at a ceremony held at the Mt. Vernon Community Center. A bronze plaque, mounted on a granite stone and installed on the Community Center grounds, was dedicated to Sandy and Dan in recognition of their years of service to NDN and the community. The stone and plaque were made possible through contributions from NDN board members and donations from the community.

NDN President Harald Bredesen welcomed everyone to the ceremony. Guest of honor, Sandy Wright (pictured here), a longtime Mt. Vernon resident and president of the Mt. Vernon Community Partnership Corporation (CPC) for many years, was in attendance, along with members of the Wright and Onion families and many friends and community members. (Dan passed away in 2022, but he was there in spirit.)