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The Monthly Newsletter of 211 Nevada County
August 2016
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Get on Board with Bus Driver Bob Donnenwirth
Each morning starts with a safety check. Planes from the nearby airport buzz overhead as bus driver Bob Donnenwirth inspects the fluids, signal lights, doors, wheelchair lift, and emergency exits on his Gold Country Stage Bus. It's 8:47 am and we are off to Grass Valley to pick up passengers for the start of Route 6 to Penn Valley. "Groovy. Here we go."
This is Bob's favorite route. "I like to consider Rough & Ready Highway my office in the
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Gold Country Stage driver Bob Donnenwirth does a safety check of the wheelchair lift. |
morning. Just meander down the road. You usually see the same people every day or a couple times a week. It's a nice way to start the day."
As we head toward our first stop of the day, Bob tells me about the passengers who ride this route: a Sierra College professor, students, a Hospice volunteer. Most people who board greet Bob by name. "He's a good guy," a passenger named Trish whispers to me.
Bob started at Gold Country Stage in 1995, after working at the nearby Nevada County Airport. "I worked upstairs at the airport for eight-and-a-half years, and it closed in '95 to be rebuilt. It was either get laid off until it was done, or slide over here. I slid over here, and I liked it and asked to stay."
A 21-year veteran of Nevada County's Gold Country Stage bus service, Bob has met a lot of people from behind the wheel. He tells me about a passenger in her 90s whose father was once a local constable. After talking about their families one day they discovered that her parents and Bob's grandparents had once been friends. Bob shares stories of a passenger who sometimes brought him plates of Mexican food and another who made him a baby blanket when his daughter was born.
It's these relationships with his passengers that have kept Bob in the driver's seat for all these
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Bob Donnenwirth in the driver's seat. |
years. "We know each other by name, what they do and where they're going." For Bob, it feels good to help people get where they need to go. "You know, that's how they do their life: shopping, doctors' appointments, getting down to Auburn to catch the Amtrak bus to go on a trip."
Over the years, he's met many new people and even seen kids who rode the bus with their parents grow into independent bus-riding adults themselves. For Bob, this is part of the joy of being a Gold Country Stage driver. "The drivers enjoy the passengers, conversing back and forth and getting to know a little bit about them. Their ins and outs, their lives, families. I've seen their kids grow up."
As we wait at a stoplight, a car honks and the driver to our left rolls down his passenger window. "Is that Bob?" he calls out. After waving hello, Bob tells me that the man used to ride the bus daily.
Bob drives for five hours each day, starting with Route 6 in the morning and transitioning to Route 2 and Route 3 in the afternoon. He spends the rest of his shift working dispatch, coordinating buses and assisting the public with questions.
Heading out of Grass Valley, a passenger calls out to make sure he's on the right bus. Bob lets him know that his stop is up ahead. I ask Bob if he has any advice for new passengers. "Ask questions," he says. "You know when people are new and they're kind of hesitant. I always just say 'Please feel free to ask. You can ask any of the drivers. They'd be more than willing to help you'."
Twisting and turning through the yellow hills into Rough & Ready, I begin to understand why this is Bob's favorite route. It's a quiet ride, with beautiful scenery and folks who are on their way to work, to volunteer, to run errands. We pass Western Gateway Park, a farmers' market, people walking their dogs and talking to their neighbors. From this vantage point you can see how a community moves. It's a great way to start the day.
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Harnessing the Power of Positive Parenting
Raising kids is really hard work. Parents need all the support they can get to raise happy, healthy humans.
Two upcoming parenting workshops will give parents the tools they need to better understand their child's needs and become more confident parents. And, best of all, FREE CHILDCARE (and pizza) will be provided.
Circle of Security Parenting Workshop
This 8-week workshop for parents of children ages 0 to 5 will teach parents how to spot their children's cues, understand their needs, and support their feelings of security. Wednesdays, August 24-October 12, 2016.
Details:
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Click on the image above to open a PDF of the flyer. |
What: Circle of Security Parenting Workshop
When:
Wednesdays, August 24-October 12, 2016, 5:30-7:30 pm
Where: Grass Valley Charter School/PARTNERS Family Resource Center
235 South Auburn Street, Grass Valley
Cost: $30 materials fee. Scholarships available.
Free childcare provided. Call Meg Luce at 530-913-2745 to register.
The Power of Positive Parenting
Many familiar parenting problems have very simple solutions. Triple P is an evidence-based parenting program that provides practical strategies to help families. This 8-week program for parents of children ages 2 to 12 can help parents reduce stress, become more confident in their parenting skills, and create routines and ground rules.
Details:
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Click on the image above to open a PDF of the flyer.
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What: Power of Positive Parenting Workshop
When:
Thursdays, August 25-October 13, 2016, 6:00-8:00 pm
Where: Scotten School Library
10821 Squirrel Creek Road, Grass Valley
Cost: $30. Scholarships available.
Free childcare and pizza provided. Call Meg Luce at 530-913-2745 to register.
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Senior Spotlight: Start Exploring with Road Scholar
Some people vacation and some people TRAVEL.
Whether savoring sounds from the Athabascan Fiddle Festival under the spectacular Northern Lights, discovering the mysteries of Arizona's geological juggernaut Chaco Canyon, or even staying close to home in our own majestic Sierras, discovering the cultures and hidden treasures of the world is the very essence of living.
While some are fortunate enough to spend their youth backpacking across Europe or enjoying a career that takes them to new, exciting places, many of us have to wait for retirement to spread our wings. For those of us 50 and over who have a palpable curiosity, a passion for learning, and a desire to explore the world there is
Road Scholar.
Formed in 1975 as Elderhostel, Road Scholar is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to inspire adults to learn, discover, and travel.
Road Scholar offers over 5,500 learning experiences to 100,000 participants annually. The diverse selection of excursions are designed to appeal to older travelers interested in learning about new places and cultures. Some trips focus on a country or city in its entirety, exploring its history, art, and culture. Others are designed around a specific theme, such as archaeology or maritime travel. They all include a reading list and expert-led lectures and field trips. From the banks of the
Mississippi to the streets of
Oslo to the shores of
Cuba, Road Scholar offers stimulating educational programs that delve deep into the wonders of the world.
Believing the Road Scholar experience should be available to anyone, the organization also offers assistance to support those who would not otherwise be financially able to participate. Road Scholar awards more than 300
Enrichment Grants annually. Grants are between $300 and $900, depending on your household income, and can be used to cover the costs of any trip within the United States priced at $1400 or less.
Caregiver Grants are designed to help provide needed respite for those who care for family members who are ill or have a disability. The grant helps offset the costs of substitute care and allows caregivers to take a much-needed break to focus on their own interests and needs. Grant awards are up to $1300 to be applied to the cost of any Road Scholar program within the United States priced at $1400 or less.
For more information on Road Scholar and their many adventures, see their extremely user-friendly website at
www.roadscholar.org.
Growing older doesn't mean we stop growing. Road Scholar makes it easy to hit the road and explore.
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We'll See You at the Fair
Join 211 at the Nevada County Fair this Friday for Day for People with Disabilities. We will be near the Pine Tree Stage talking about 211 and all of the great resources in our community.
Admission is free from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm for anyone with a disability and their personal assistant. Other organizations out for the day will include FREED Center for Independent Living, Neighborhood Center for the Arts, Alta Regional Center, and many more.
Come by and say hello!
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Get Connected. Get Answers.
211 Nevada County is a resource and information hub that connects people with community programs and services. Find us on the web at
211nevadacounty.org
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Follow 211 Nevada County on social media and join the conversation!
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