Meet Gord, Wheels of Hope volunteer driver
[Gord Reifenstein sits in front of a camera as he speaks]
Words on screen: Gord Reifenstein, Wheels of Hope volunteer driver
Gord Reifenstein: Hi, I'm Gord Reifenstein. I'm a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society. I am with the Wheels of Hope and enjoying myself quite a bit with this.
[A video of Gord driving the Wheels of Hope van.]
[A video of Gord driving the van down several different city streets.]
Gord Reifenstein: I am a cancer survivor. And, as a result of that, I thought I would give back and see how I can assist other people.
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: A lot of my clients, we have a rapport.
[A video of Gord outside a hospital, talking to someone off camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: We talk, we have good conversations.
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: And I think that sort of breaks the monotony for them when we're traveling, because they know where they're going.
[A video of Gord waiting outside a hospital.]
Gord Reifenstein: They know that they're not going to a pleasant place.
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: But we, you know, we just gab away and have a good time at it. And I think that really helps them.
[A video of Gord getting into the driver’s seat of a Wheels of Hope van.]
Gord Reifenstein: One highlight that I can recall right now is a woman.
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: She was diagnosed with cancer about two years, three years ago, and she and her husband would take public transit.
[A video of Gord driving away in the Wheels of Hope van.]
Gord Reifenstein: Well, on a good day, that was 90 minutes one way. In the winter, it was 2.5 hours.
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: So when she got into my van, she was all excited and in tears because it took us 45 minutes to get there.
[A video of the Wheels of Hope van parked outside of a hospital.]
Gord Reifenstein: And of course, the big question was, how do I get home?
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: I said, Flora, don't worry about it, you're coming home with me.
[A video of Gord driving through different city streets.]
Gord Reifenstein: A lot of people don't want to let people know that they're sick. So to have this program going kind of gives them a bit of relief, a little bit more satisfaction that they can look after their own health.
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: Wheels of Hope is there. Let's make it work. And hopefully we can alleviate the stress for a lot of people.
[A video of Gord standing in front of a forest.]
Gord Reifenstein: The big part right now is we need more volunteers.
[A video of Gord speaking to the camera.]
Gord Reifenstein: It takes a different person to be a volunteer. We know that.
[A video of Gord doing a variety of volunteer tasks: walking outside of a hospital, driving the Wheels of Hope van, and laughing with someone off-screen.]
Gord Reifenstein: Step out of your comfort zone. Let's just try it. I have learned over the year just how important it is to people. We'll get you there, and we'll take you home again.
Words on screen: Volunteers like Gord provided trusted transportation to thousands of people facing cancer every year.
Words on screen: It takes all of us to take on cancer.
Visit volunteercancer.ca to become a volunteer today.
[The Canadian Cancer Society and It Takes a Society logos appear on screen.]
Words on screen: With thanks to
- Honda Canada Foundation
- The Wheels of Hope Golf Classic
- S.C. Johnson & Son
- The John and Bernice Parrott Foundation
- Golden Daffodil Ball – GDECCO
- The Kingston Kinsmen
- Uniac Foundatoin
- William J. Henderson Foundatoin
- Snow Angel Foundation
- Bruce Power Direct
