Press Releases

Liberty Mutual debuts Driver Seat Game
June 19, 2009

Liberty Mutual launched its online Driver Seat Game, a video game that will allow players of all ages to experience first-hand the physical and cognitive limitations that older drivers may experience while operating a motor vehicle. The goal of the game is to make players sensitive to the physical obstacles faced by their parents at various stages of aging and inspire conversations between adult children and their senior parents.

Click here to read the press release.

ITNCharlestonTrident Sets Two New Ride Records
June 2, 2008

Congratulations to Executive Director Jim Ledbetter and crew at ITNCharlestonTrident!

ITNCharlestonTrident has set TWO new ride records as membership and ride requests continue to increase.

NEW RECORDS :

Total Rides for a Month: 699 in May (old record 682, Oct. 2008)
Total Rides for a Day: Today, June 2nd, 52 rides (old record was 48 recorded on several days)

NOTE : Today, June 2nd, volunteers will provide 65% of the 52 record number rides for a single day. THANK YOU Volunteers!

ADDITIONAL NUMBERS :

Rides provided since first ride on Nov. 15, 2006: 14,126 "Accident Free" rides.
Number of miles driven to deliver 14,126 rides: 92,789

ITNCharlestonTrident cares about service!

Volunteers from the South Carolina Credit Union

On Sept 11th, 2008 ITNCharlestonTrident participated in the Trident United Way’s Day of Caring. On this day over 5,000 volunteers and 125 organizations participated in service projects throughout the community.

The South Carolina Credit Union volunteered to paint the interior walls of the ITN office in Charleston’s "Rainbow Row" colors. The result was a look that is "calming" and "refreshing".

Also as part of the Day of Caring, ITNCT volunteer Phyllis Carlson and ITNCT staff members Latoya Glenn and Jim Ledbetter read stories to small groups of kindergarteners at the Jennie Moore Elementary School in North Charleston. ITNCharlestonTrident was the only organization to both host a project and participate in a project.

Katherine Freund named 2009 AARP Inspire Award Honoree
Decenber 4, 2008

Click here to read the press release.

ITNCharlestonTrident celebrated its 2nd Anniversary and its 10,000th

Trident United Way President Chris Kerrigan provided member rider
Dr. W.C. Worthington with the Honorary 2nd Anniversary Ride

Volunteer Driver Lesley Crum (center), Member Rider Thelma Middleton (right),
ITNAmerica Executive Director Katherine Freund

10,000th ride media coverage with WCBD and the Post and Courier

A few highlights included:

Executive Director Jim Ledbetter appeared on "The Tammy Show," Comcast 2.
ITNAmerica CEO Katherine Freund joined ITN volunteer driver Lesley Crum and member rider Thelma Middleton for the 10,000th Ride.
Post and Courier story on the 10,000 Ride.
Katherine Freund appeared live on TV Ch 2 WCBD news.
Katherine Freund appeared on the "Cheryl Harleston Show," Comcast 2.
Article on ITNCharlestonTrident in "Cause," the official publication of the Junior League of Charleston.
Trident United Way President Chris Kerrigan provided member rider Dr. W.C. Worthington with the Honorary 2nd Anniversary Ride.

ITNCharlestonTrident could not have achieved the success we've realized and reached the milestones we've accomplished in two years without the tremendous support from our volunteers, funding partners and friends in the Lowcountry, across the state, and across the country.

On behalf of our member riders, board of directors and the staff of ITNCharlestonTrident, THANK YOU!

Jim Ledbetter
Executive Director

2008 Volunteer Recognition Celebration

"Stories From The Road" was the theme of the 2008 ITNCharlestonTrident volunteer recognition held May 4 at the Felix C. Davis Community Center, hosted by the City of North Charleston and the City of North Charleston Recreation Department.

Congratulations to Phil Avery, recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award.
(Also awarded the "Cleanest Car Award," Phil received his award in absentia from Hawaii!)

Guest speaker Warren Pepper (left), news anchor for NBC Affiliate TV WCBD, received
the "Automobile Recognition Award" from Chairman of the Board Paul Franklin.

Volunteer driver Barbara Franklin has been instrumental
to the success of ITNCharlestonTrident.

Mayor Riley provides 5000th ride
February 13, 2008

ITNCharlestonTrident providing their 5000th ride!

Congratulations to ITNCharlestonTrident for providing their 5000th ride! ITN member Dr. Henry Rittenberg (pictured at right) was picked up at MUSC by Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., who volunteered to be the driver for this auspicious event. ITNCharlestonTrident has been providing Press Releases and the visually impaired, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the past 15 months. To volunteer or make a donation, please call (843)225-2715.

Holiday Party with generous support from Sentry Buick
December 18, 2007

ITNCharlestonTrident provided rides to nine members to attend the Christmas Party at the "Echo House" a small neighborhood senior center operated by the local Catholic Charities. They routinely provide rides to these same members every Tuesday and Friday.

With a larger than usual number of riders going to the same location, we utilized a full size GMC passenger van loaned to us for occasion by our partner automobile dealership, Harold Arnold's Sentry Buick Pontiac GMC Inc.

Reverend Dick Giffen receives the "Seniors Count: Outstanding Older South Carolinian 2007 Award"
December 12, 2007

Reverend Dick Giffen received the
"Seniors Count: Outstanding Older South Carolinian 2007 Award"

Reverend Dick Giffen receives the "Seniors Count: Outstanding Older South Carolinian 2007 Award," presented by Director of the South Carolina Office on Aging Curtis Loftis, on behalf of Lt. Governor André Bauer. The presentation took place on December 12 at the Harbour Club in Charleston during the ITNCharlestonTrident Holiday Social, sponsored by Paul and Barbara Franklin. Dick is the former executive director of ITNCharlestonTrident and a board member of ITNAmerica.

Congratulations to Executive Director Jim Ledbetter and ITNCharlestonTrident
October 5, 2007

Jim Ledbetter, Executive Director (third from left)

ITNCharlestonTrident received a "Shining Star" from the South Carolina Aging In Place Coalition during their "High Tea" held October 5.

Over 130 people attended the event to acknowledge organizations that represent "shining examples" of the kinds of resources and services that are available to help seniors age in place successfully.

The nomination letter below tells a story that takes place in South Carolina, but "Carol E." could live anywhere. Her predicament shows how critical ITN services are to our growing population of older Americans.

Shining Star nomination letter:

Carol E. will admit that she had it all: two vacation homes, good health and enough money to support herself comfortably. However, after a serious accident left her with a fractured leg and hip problem, her security vanished.

While physical ailments and emotional strain tested Carol, her financial situation became overwhelming when her car was stolen and the hospital bills came rolling in. With her transportation gone and injuries that left her immobile, her two houses were foreclosed on and she faced the threat of moving into assisted living.

Struggling to stay independent, Carol purchased a small trailer and signed up for the Meals on Wheels program. Unfortunately, because of the location, she was unable find reliable transportation. With her age and injuries, the bus stops were too far away and the over-sized steps too difficult to manage. She had long since exhausted the help her friends were able to provide. Essentially, she was trapped and her independence was slowly slipping away.

Carol received disability checks but had no way to get to the bank to cash them. They were piling up and useless as she became a prisoner in her home. Her trailer was left unfurnished because she had no way to shop. Her lack of transportation was a great encumbrance to maintaining the independent, quality lifestyle that she desired. In fact, her independence was quickly washing away.

Then Carol learned about ITNCharlestonTrident, an innovative program designed to meet the transportation needs of seniors and the visually impaired. After using the service, Carol called to say that ITNCharlestonTrident made it possible for her to furnish her house and do the daily things that make living worthwhile. She even noted that the "Meals on Wheels ladies" commented on the difference they saw in her demeanor.

Carol is just one of many examples of ITNCharlestonTrident helping to give the Lowcountry's senior community the freedom and independence necessary to enjoy a positive quality of life by providing individualized and dignified transportation in private cars.