Skip to content

Vancouver Island 4x4 club offers free rides to hospital staff

One member says he’s helped more than 20 nurses in the past couple days
15537336_web1_181219-ACC-M-Winter-Driving-Speedy-Glass
The Vancouver Island Toyota 4x4 Club is offering free rides to any hospital staff that can’t make it to work due to snow. (Black Press file photo)

The Vancouver Island Toyota 4x4 club is offering free rides to any hospital staff who are unable to make it into work because of the snow.

Jacob Vanoverschot, a spokesperson for the club, said Wednesday morning he had given rides to 21 nurses in the past couple days.

RELATED: How to give back during Victoria’s cold snap

“It started up in Duncan, a couple of people organizing it up there, so I decided to call the hospital and put my name down for nurses to call me if they needed help,” Vanoverschot said. “There were, I think, three or four other people in Victoria that helped and a good half a dozen up in Duncan that were helping out.”

While spending the day driving through the snowstorm might not be your idea of fun, Vanoverschot said he had a great time.

RELATED: Cowichan, Sooke, Nanaimo, Victoria, Saanich schools remain closed

“It’s such an amazing feeling, it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done in my life so far,” he said. “Everyone has been so thankful … we’ve been told that we’ve helped the hospital so much, extra surgeries were able to be performed and patient care got sped up because there were extra nurses to help.”

And while Vanoverschot did not continue the service Wednesday, other members of the club will be available for anyone needing a ride to the hospital or a different medical facility. If you’re stuck and need to organize a ride call 250-370-8000 and an operator will be able to help.



kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter