The High River Handi-bus Society picked up a cheque from Highwood MLA Wayne Anderson on November 10th for $31,985.

The money is a grant from the province's Community Initiative Program and it arrived just in time as the Society is getting a brand new bus in December.

This money pays for about half of the new vehicle and Director of Funding Terry Storch says they plan on increasing their services to help pay off the balance on the bus.

"With Sunrise out on the northwest being a very busy spot for us and with the Manor open we are at almost opposite ends of town," said Storch. "Those will, along with the hospital, be the three biggest pickup points we have."

President Dayle Coonfer says having four buses to help people get around will make a big difference to their services.

It is a major step forward after having to rebuild the service after the flood in 2013.

"We were extremely busy and they we got hit with the flood and so many people had to leave," Coonfer said. "So it has been a gradual resurgence of people coming back into town and now with the Manor opening it will, I am sure, it will increase viability on that end of it."

The society is also in need of volunteers to help them fill some board positions.

For more information call 403-601-3472.

 

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