OATS celebrates National Volunteer Week

Daviess County residents who share their time and talents to make a difference in our community will be honored during National Volunteer Week, April 23-29. During National Volunteer Week, thousands of volunteers around the country will be honored with local organizational awards for their community service. OATS, Inc. joins thousands of organizations who take this time to recognize and honor their deserving volunteers.
OATS is a private, not-for-profit transportation provider serving 87 counties in Missouri. In each of the counties OATS serves, there is a group of volunteers comprised of 8-25 people — mostly riders of OATS — organized into County Support committees. The committee for Daviess County has selected Joyce Becerra of Gallatin as their Volunteer of the Year.
Joyce joins honorees from the other 86 counties in OATS’ service area representing the entire OATS volunteer network of over 1,100. Among their duties, volunteers plan local bus schedules, dispatch rural service, serve as committee members and on the Board of Directors, and raise money toward the cost of each new vehicle.
In 2005, OATS volunteers reported $992,064 worth of volunteer hours. These hours are used to match federal and state funds obtained through contracts and grants with Area Agencies on Aging, including the Northwest Area Agency on Aging, and the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department.