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STARS - Sisters Transportation and Ride Share

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STARS - Sisters Transportation and Ride Share

STARS provides non-emergency medical rides to Sisters, Oregon residents who cannot drive themselves.

STARS is an Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) Action Team. The mission is to provide non-emergency medical rides to Sisters Country residents who cannot drive themselves.

05/19/2026

Join us for a very fun and fundraising night of Bingo! Thanks to the generosity of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, STARS will receive the proceeds from a 50/50 raffle. And, each time they call B6, (6 is our number of years in service), we get an additional $25. Come and have fun, bring your friends, and support a popular and vital Sisters Country nonprofit. We will see you there, June 5th at 5:00! 121 Brooks Camp Road.

We need more drivers to meet our community’s growing needs. To volunteer, visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us. STARS reimburses for mileage.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

04/30/2026

Throughout April, we have highlighted the personal benefits to those who choose to donate their time and talents as volunteers. Our passengers have long touted the benefits they reap from receiving reliable, free rides to their non-emergency medical appointments. They enjoy the company of the drivers, the ease of working with dispatchers who schedule their rides, and most of all, the ability to attend the medical appointments that keep them living independently.

Think about how important it is to live independently for as long as you can. Sisters Country has many attributes, but we do not have assisted living here. We at STARS want our neighbors to flourish in their homes. Ordering groceries and meals delivered to their homes helps non-drivers stay in place, but we cannot have a medical lab test, a procedure, or a doctor’s visit be delivered. Instead, we pull must together to help those in need of rides to scheduled medical appointments. It’s a joyous commitment and a practical solution to a community-wide problem. Come and pull together with us. We hope our posts will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well. To volunteer, visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us or https://www.starsride.org/dispatch-for-us. STARS reimburses for mileage.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

04/29/2026

TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE...meet Chris West, STARS Volunteer, pictured here with a doughnut!
After 25 years as an officer on the Los Angeles Police Department, the police mission statement was ingrained in Chris’s personality. A very popular volunteer driver, Chris has found his way to continue “to serve” his community. To his passengers, he is famous for his conversational skills and for his treat of doughnuts for his passengers! When asked what keeps him driving, Chris answered, “Doing the right thing. It’s not that tedious to figure out how to do the right thing. All of my passengers are so grateful, and so are the medical professionals they visit. You get to hear people’s stories. Meeting a new person is meeting someone full of stories you haven’t heard yet.” When talking to Chris about his trips with STARS passengers, it is clear that the role brings him joy and fulfillment. His passengers are helped to have healthier and independent lives, and Chris flourishes in his role.

A big shout out to all of our volunteers. There would not be a STARS with Chris West and the whole team of generous folks. A big shout out to STARS itself. We are one of a kind, being the only ride share in the US that is 100% free to our passengers and powered by volunteers!

We hope our posts will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well. To volunteer, visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us or https://www.starsride.org/dispatch-for-us. STARS reimburses for mileage.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

04/25/2026

The benefits of volunteering are far-reaching and varied, from feelings of joy to a satisfaction that one’s efforts have really paid off. STARS volunteer, John Finley, fits into the second category. In addition to his efforts making him happy, John talks about a sense of satisfaction, saying, “I've met a lot of members of the community whom I would not have met without STARS, both through my driving STARS passengers and my role as driver manager. STARS has allowed me to utilize some of my IT technical skills to help build the back-end software platform we are using, guide the operational direction of the organization by helping develop policies and procedures, and create a well-oiled operation that has been running remarkably smoothly since we became an independent 501(c)(3) organization.”

Like many members of the Operations Team of STARS, John has put in numerous hours, assuring that the organization is strong and that it will be here in years to come. It is a goal that all of us work toward. Those who drive, dispatch, troubleshoot, write grants, and plan for the future need your participation, now more than ever. STARS is growing because the need is growing in our community. STARS wants you on our team. We hope our posts will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well. To volunteer, visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us or https://www.starsride.org/dispatch-for-us. STARS pays for mileage reimbursement.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

04/21/2026

The desire for connection in her community is what motivated Kristy Rawls, pictured here with her husband Drew, to volunteer as a dispatcher for STARS. Working as a school teacher in the Sisters School District for the last 20 years of her 36-year career, satisfied Kristy’s deep need to be connected with her community. After retiring, Kristy wanted to make sure that she stayed connected in Sisters Country, so she volunteered to answer the calls to STARS and help our passengers book rides to their non-emergency medical appointments. When she heard about STARS, Kristy thought, “I can step up one day a month and volunteer, because this is a really critical service.” Kristy loves the role of dispatcher, in part because she can do it from the comfort of her own home. Kristy has a job at the Sisters Athletic Club and a busy life outside her home. So finding an organization that welcomed her limited participation without any demand to work more hours, has been the perfect fit. She calls STARS, “Welcoming without any pressure.” The added benefit to her has been in keeping her home one day per month. As many find, semi or full retirement can make for too active a life. Having the routine of dispatching from her home, is grounding for Kristy.

STARS wants you on our team. We hope our posts will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well.To volunteer visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us or https://www.starsride.org/dispatch-for-us.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

04/17/2026

April is National Volunteer Month. In America, we have a 250-year tradition of volunteering. Our first government was all volunteer. The Colonial Army was all volunteer, and colonists had been volunteering to help their neighbors for a hundred years before July 4, 1776.
Americans give more of their time to volunteering than any other country. Why? Because it is a defining part of our identity. Because it is patriotic and a part of our cultural DNA. When a hurricane hits and fishing guides from other states hit the road with their drift boats in tow, to help move flooded people to safety, it is not because they are paid. It is because they have been surrounded by the notion of volunteering since they were in grade school.

In this year of our 250th Anniversary as a nation, consider what it could do for your community and FOR YOU, to join a team of volunteers. And yes, it would be good for YOU to volunteer. On a recent PBS segment on volunteering, one volunteer said, “There’s a certain pride in just stepping up, and filling a need and not putting a price on it.” Volunteering says that YOU matter, that YOUR contribution makes a difference.

STARS wants you on our team. We hope our posts will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well.To volunteer visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us or https://www.starsride.org/dispatch-for-us.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!” https://youtu.be/dsQsw4zwgjQ?si=GTDKmxQnv8anY7cX

04/14/2026

STARS volunteers often serve in more than one role. Tom Gonsiewski, one of the founding members of STARS, enjoys juggling a variety of positions. After a career in public transportation, working for Tri-Met in Portland, Tom found a good volunteer fit helping develop our free ride-share program. As a founder and early volunteer, Tom helped to modify a software system that posts rides that our community members needed. Tom now serves as a board member, the Director of Operations, and a dispatcher, answering calls that come in from the community. Tom said of why he chose to work with STARS, “I’ve had a good and privileged life and wanted to give back. My draw to volunteering in medical transport came from experiences with a family member who needed many rides to medical appointments. I knew it could be difficult for people who couldn’t drive themselves.”
Tom says that the benefits that come from his volunteering include broadening his community and meeting folks from all walks of life. In addition to STARS giving him a sense of purpose, the fun and challenges of running a non-profit organization keep his mind active and sharp. He loves learning new things and working with a devoted team of people. Thank you, Tom, for all you do to make certain people can get to their non-emergency medical appointments!

We need more volunteers!! We hope our stories will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well.To volunteer visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us or https://www.starsride.org/dispatch-for-us.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

04/11/2026

Want to be happier? Research shows that if you want to be happy, you need a balance of Pride, Purpose, and Pleasure. In interviews with STARS drivers, dispatchers, and board members, it's clear that volunteering ticks all three of those boxes for them.

Pride: Volunteering provides a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Volunteering puts us in contact with others who thank us for our contribution, which makes us proud that we can make a difference. We are proud that in the first 3 months of 2026, we have driven our community members on 198 rides to their non-emergency medical appointments. Our passengers say that we should be proud of ourselves, and so we are!

Purpose: Volunteering can give you a sense of purpose. Dedicating time to a cause can give you new direction and allow you to find meaning in something unexpected. Many think that we will “discover” our purpose, but it has been said that your purpose isn't something you discover, but something you ultimately choose yourself. Having a purpose transforms life from mere existence into a journey of contribution.

Pleasure: All of our volunteers express what a pleasure it is to help our passengers. The conversations and connections that come from the interactions make them think, laugh, and enjoy the day. H. Jackson Brown Jr author of “Life’s Little Instruction Book”, wrote, “Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” In the words of one of our volunteers, it is one of the most joyful of activities!

We need more volunteers. We hope our stories will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well.

To volunteer visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

04/07/2026

Another real “Star of our STARS volunteers” is driver, Rita Weber. Rita’s warmth, positivity, and enthusiasm make her a perfect “face of STARS”. Rita has driven for Sisters Transportation and Ride Share for two and a half years and says that her number one benefit from her volunteerism is a sense of JOY. “It is a joyful thing. That’s what I feel when I take these people who need it. It’s a sense of giving. It brings me, and them, happiness.” As for the benefit to the passengers, Rita adds, “Our passengers are so grateful that we volunteer our time and our cars. They are overcome with the idea that we do this willingly!”

Rita loves the flexibility of setting her own schedule to drive. She can work around her busy life as a mom and grandmother. All STARS volunteers pick the days and times that work for them, and there is no minimum requirement of shifts or rides. We always need more volunteers, especially because the need for rides to medical appointments in Sisters, Redmond, and Bend continues to grow. We hope our stories will inspire you to join in and experience the good feelings that come from connecting authentically with the neighbor or new friend who needs our service. When we help our riders to get to medical appointments, we are helping them to stay independent and thriving. It helps us who volunteer to thrive, as well.

To volunteer now (and we hope you will!) visit https://www.starsride.org/drive-for-us. To find out more about who we are and what we do, visit our website at https://www.starsride.org/. We think you will be impressed, become more informed, and maybe even feel inspired to join our team.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

Please "like" and "follow us". It gets the word out further!

04/04/2026

“Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.” -Heather French Henry

STARS board member, Susan Utterback, has a long history of serving in the non-profit world. Sisters resident, fly fisherwoman, and avid volunteer, Susan had a long career as a CPA specializing in non-profit social service and environmental organizations. Her expertise led to her recruitment to serve on our board, and her heart led her to accept, embrace, and expand her roles. Susan and the entire board work to position STARS to be an organization that exists as long as there is a need. Recently, Susan had her first shift as a dispatcher, answering calls and scheduling rides to non-emergency medical appointments. Susan enjoys learning new things and had a great time connecting with riders in the community during her shift.
When asked what she derives from so much volunteering, Susan said, “Giving back is what we as human beings need to do. Whether it’s time. Money or effort, it’s part of what makes us human. It just FEELS GOOD, enhances personal interactions, and connection to community.”

Thank you, Susan (pictured with a student in the Start Making A Reader Today” program). Your contribution to STARS helps us to shine!

To find out more about who we are and what we do, visit our website at https://www.starsride.org/. We think you will be impressed, become more informed, and maybe even feel inspired to join our team.

Sisters Transportation and Ride Share has the proud mission of “Keeping Sisters Healthy One Ride at a Time!”

Please "like" and "follow us". It gets the word out further!

Address

PO Box 3500 100 PMB 422
Sisters, OR
97759

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 3pm
Thursday	10am - 3pm

Telephone

+15419045545

Website

http://starsride.org/

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