Sisters Transportation and RideShare (STARS) announced its ride sponsorship “drive” is launching on Giving Tuesday, December 3, and will run through December 31. STARS is a volunteer ride share program that provides Sisters Country residents with free non-emergency medical rides to Sisters, Bend, and Redmond. STARS “riders” are unable to drive themselves or afford private ride services, and many say, without the nonprofit, they would need to cancel their medical visits.

The October Community Builders meeting was held at the U.S. Forest Service Sisters Ranger District garage. Attendees were welcomed by Lauren DuRocher, acting district ranger while Ian Reid is on a four-month temporary assignment on the Modoc National Forest. He will be back in Sisters in early December.

"Stepping Up" was the theme of the third annual Volunteer Appreciation Event held for Sisters Transportation and Ride Share last Thursday at Sisters Depot. Recognized for their outstanding contributions to STARS over the past year, the STAR Dispatcher of the Year is Debbie Hewett and the STAR Driver of the Year is Rita Weber.

For the last four years, the popular Sisters Ride Share and Transportation (STARS) program has been meeting the needs of residents who aren't able to provide their own transportation to non-emergency medical appointments in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond. In 2018, the need for that service was identified in a community study, and STARS, powered by volunteers, was created as a grassroots initiative to fill the need. Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC), a newly formed 501(c)(3) became the fiscal sponsor for STARS, their first Action Team, and has provided support and services from their start. Recently, AFSC redefined their purpose and elected to limit support contracts for Action Teams to five years. During 2024, STARS has been engaged in methodically transitioning to become its own independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

100 Women Who Care-Sisters recently raised $8,400 for Age Friendly Sisters Country/Sisters Transportation and Ride Share, the ride share services staffed by volunteers in our community. The fundraising was conducted at the group's June 27 quarterly meeting; the checks were presented to STARS on Saturday, June 29. Members of 100 WWC-Sisters, which now numbers over 100 members, chose STARS after presentations by the three nominated nonprofits, all of which represent Sisters' caring, giving community.