STARS Joins in Resource Fair
Today STARS took part in the Resource Fair hosted by Living Well With Dementia, a support and resource group serving Sisters Country. The event included a community walk to raise awareness for brain health, followed by a resource fair featuring local organizations and services for individuals living with dementia and all care partners.
Rideshare program awarded $15,000 grant
STARS was honored to be awarded a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation. The generous $15,000 grant will go far in supporting our mission to help keep Sisters healthy, one ride at a time. OCF is committed to funding organizations that work to improve lives in every corner of Oregon. Funding free transportation to non-emergency medical appointments is essential to rural areas.
May is Older Americans Month
April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, and at STARS, we acknowledge that without our volunteers, we wouldn’t exist. We are comprised of 100% volunteers who serve on the board, are directors and managers, take phone calls, and drive passengers to their non-emergency medical appointments.
STARS Volunteers Featured in the News
SISTERS, Ore. -- Sisters Transportation and Ride Share (STARS) helps older folks with crucial, free transportation.
"I used to be quite independent and I always managed to care for myself," said 86-year-old Sisters resident Barbara Barnett. "Then I started having health issues like a lot of us do."
Barnett is one of several Sisters residents who rely heavily on STARS, the only all-volunteer, non-emergency medical transportation service in Oregon.
STARS Driver Recognized
April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, and at STARS, we acknowledge that without our volunteers, we wouldn’t exist. We are comprised of 100% volunteers who serve on the board, are directors and managers, take phone calls, and drive passengers to their non-emergency medical appointments.
Portraits of Sisters - Rennie Morrell
On the hangar wall of her duty station in Corpus Christi, Texas, hung a sign reading, "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way." Rennie Morrell made the choice to lead that day and her path to Sisters has reflected her sense of duty to community and country ever since.
She stunned her family when she enlisted in the Navy at age 18. In Corpus Christi, she was an Aviation Admin but her decision to lead opened the door to a bachelor's degree in sociology and an officer's commission in 1983. She ultimately served a total of 22 years in the Navy, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Commander with stations in Japan and the Pentagon. She specialized in training and technology throughout her career. Her and husband, Jim, frequented Sisters on vacation and made the permanent move in
2000. She looked for local opportunities to serve and became one of the original founders of STARS - Sisters Transportation and Ride Share. She also assisted in implementing the ride booking software which manages the whole process from request to delivery. In 2024, STARS provided 726 roundtrip rides with drivers completing more than 32,000 miles. For Rennie, serving her community was the next logical step after a career serving this country. "I feel I was always built for a life of service. It's in my makeup," she says.