Friday, March 28, 2025
Flora Rackwitz, a Glen Head resident, never liked driving, and after surviving a head-on collision on Northern Boulevard 20 years ago, she was more than happy to give it up entirely.
Now, at age 88, Rackwitz relies on the Glen Cove Senior Center Medical Transport service to get to her weekly appointments with a chiropractor. Without it, she would have to rely on her family’s unpredictable schedule or pay for costly cab rides.
“I gave up driving a long time ago, and I never liked it to begin with,” Rackwitz said. “When I found out about Medical Transport, I knew it was the perfect solution.”
For decades, the volunteer-run service, which was created in the late 1970s as Glen Cove Rotary Rides, has helped seniors and disabled residents in Glen Cove, and parts of the Town of Oyster Bay including Glen Head, Glenwood Landing, Locust Valley and Sea Cliff, who lack access to public transportation. But a shortage of volunteers now threatens its ability to operate.
One of the few remaining drivers, Luigi Saviano, will be unavailable for three months beginning March 11, leaving the program with just one active driver, Phyllis Burnett.
As of 2024, there were 6,102 seniors in Glen Cove. Burnett, the program’s coordinator and primary dispatcher, has managed the service since 2012. “We had four volunteers last year, but now I’m the only one left driving,” she said. “Luigi will be out until May, and that leaves us in a tough spot.”
The service uses a decommissioned Chevrolet Crown Victoria police car. Rides are available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, and they take residents to medical appointments in Glen Cove and the area, ranging as far as Northern Boulevard.
The service provides rides for about 12 residents per week, and many rely on it regularly. Burnett, who also schedules the rides, asks residents to call at least a week in advance to ensure availability, but she has struggled to meet demand.
Rackwitz, a native of Astoria, Queens, relied on public transportation for most of her life before she moved to the North Shore. Now, like many seniors, she has mobility issues — arthritis, mostly in her right knee — that make public transportation a challenge. “I use a walking stick for that, just for going in and out of the car, or walking up the steps or going down the steps,” she said.
Options are limited for seniors who can no longer drive. Rackwitz has noticed that many of her friends have given up driving as well. “We don’t want to drive anymore, and that’s the problem,” she said. “Not that they don’t want to pick me up. During the day, there’s no problem, … I’ll say, well, can you drop me off? And then somebody else will pick me up, you know, because they like saving time.”
Medical Transport was created to fill that gap, but without more volunteers, it may not be able to continue serving residents who depend on it. “All people care about is that they get their ride and get there on time,” Burnett said. “You don’t have to carry anything, just open the car door and let them in. It’s not a hard job, but it makes a world of difference.”
A.J. Kuhr, director of the Nassau County Age-Friendly Center of Excellence at Glen Cove, emphasized the importance of the program. “Volunteering with Medical Transport is a great way to meet new people, stay active and make a tangible difference in people’s lives,” he said.
The program is open to anyone with a valid driver’s license who can pass a background check. Volunteers are especially needed now to ensure that the service continues without disruption. Burnett stressed that even one more driver would help lighten the load.
“We’re looking for people who can just give a few hours a week,” she said. “Even one more driver would make a difference.” For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, call (516) 676-2846.
