One of the first mobility vans.
Westport Lions Roar
By Lion Bob Reddick
A fundraiser breakfast to support the Westport Lions Medical Mobility Service (MMS) will be held at The Cove on Sunday, April 6, from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. The French toast breakfast is served with fresh maple syrup that is generously donated by Bryan Colford, along with support from The Cove and other local businesses. This event has occurred for at least 23 years and is the major fundraiser for the MMS, which made 152 trips in 2023 and 144 trips in 2024.
If you cannot make it to the Mobility Van Breakfast on April 6, donations by sending a cheque or e-transfer would be gratefully appreciated.
Cheques can be mailed to:
Westport Lions Club
PO Box 428
Westport, ON
K0G 1X0
E-transfers can be sent to our treasurer, Lion Craig Jackson, at westportlionsfunds@gmail.com. Please indicate on your e-transfer that your donation goes to Medical Mobility Service. Tax-deductible receipts can only be issued for donations made to the MMS.
Lion Jim McGlade shares the story of how the Mobility Van Service, later renamed to Medical Mobility Service got started. Several years ago, a community member fell off a ladder and waited 50 minutes for an ambulance. This incident led to Lion members asking themselves what they could do to remedy this situation. They explored the possibility of providing ambulance service, but provincial regulations made that impossible.
The MMS was founded by Lion Captain Jack Hearn in 1985, with help from Lions Sammy McGregor and Norm Reside to transport local residents to medical appointments. The first bus was the size of a 20-seat school bus, with seats taken out, so volunteer drivers wouldn’t need a special licence. A wheelchair ramp was also installed. This bus was acquired through community donations and a grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). A second school bus was obtained in 1995 with local contributions, and a third was purchased in 2005 through donations and another grant from LCIF, which the Elgin Lions Club co-signed to meet new requirements. At that time, the service area was expanded from the Westport and Newboro communities to include Elgin and Seeley’s Bay. Due to increased demand, and the difficulty in finding drivers comfortable with driving a school bus, along with the high cost of maintenance, it was decided to use the school bus only for the overflow and to purchase a wheelchair-accessible MV1 in 2015. When the old school bus developed significant mechanical problems, a Dodge Caravan was purchased in 2016.
A garage to house the buses was constructed between 2008-10 under the supervision of Norman Reside and Pat McGinnis, with support from Lions and volunteers. In 2017, the garage was renovated to accommodate the two vans and the equipment for maintaining the beach and property. Lions Michael Harris, Don Baker, and Dwain Smith played key roles in these modifications.
In 2017, Lion Dispatcher Michael Harris, with help from Westport Telephone Company changed operational procedures and how the club dispatches drivers to meet increased demand. Over the years the system has been refined, and the use of technology has resulted in a smoother operation.
Westport Lions Club 