 A new Ram Pro Master 3500 van arrived at the Broken Arrow Senior Center on Oct. 28.
The excitement for the members who will utilize its services was palpable.
"Oh, my gosh, it's beautiful! It has that new bus smell!" said three-year member Jacinta Marling, who rides daily to and from her home to the center. "Broken Arrow cares about us; we get treated better here than anywhere else."
The van arrived at the Broken Arrow Senior Center on Monday and the keys were handed over to Executive Director Kim Crenshaw.
The van has wide aisles and a side door with a ramp. It also raises and lowers for easy access for riders with physical challenges or wheelchairs.
"Awesome, it's great," member Claude Harris said. "I love the seating, and I like how the ramp is on it. There's more room to maneuver. It's easy to get in and out of without any trouble."
Crenshaw expressed gratitude for what this new vehicle will bring to the organization's 3,100 members.
"I want to thank the City Council, the City Manager, and City of Broken Arrow Maintenance Director Ryan Baze for making this happen. It is so important for our seniors," Crenshaw said.
Honoring the City's senior community is essential, according to Mayor Debra Wimpee and all of the City Council.
"To be able to pick our seniors up to enjoy the 100 activities a week that the Broken Arrow Senior Center provides, it's just amazing!" Mayor Wimpee said.
While the Broken Arrow Senior Center had a bus before receiving the new one, it was aging, had mechanical problems, and would often be down for weeks, waiting for repairs to be completed.
"It's a great vehicle that will be reliable transportation for our members that otherwise wouldn't be able to get here," Crenshaw said. "It's going to make a huge difference for us."
City Manager Michael Spurgeon credited the City Council with prioritizing seniors over the last decade to ensure they have a place to recreate, interact, and continue to have an excellent quality of life in Broken Arrow.
"Kim told me they needed a new bus," Spurgeon said. "We sat down and thought about how we could do this. I went to Council members, and they immediately supported the idea of using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) funds to purchase this bus. There couldn't be a better way to use the money from the federal government than to help our seniors."
City of Broken Arrow Maintenance Services Director Ryan Baze and his team worked with Crenshaw to meet the Broken Arrow Senior Center's needs and the ARPA funds specifications.
"And this is what we have, this brand-new bus that will help serve the Broken Arrow community," Spurgeon said.
Drivers Phil Byers and Randall Graybill run several routes throughout the day, Monday through Friday, picking up the members at their homes, taking them to the center, and returning them home.
“I’m so grateful for this, and again, the city just shows how important our seniors are to the community and are truly taking care of one another,” Crenshaw said. “So, thank you.”
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