Award photo: (from left to right) A surprised and delighted Leleith Mullings, being presented with 200,000th WAVE Rider Certificate by Connie Garber, YCCAC Transportation Director, and flowers from Dot Morin, WAVE Coordinator

Another milestone for the WAVE (Wheels to Access Vocation and Education) was celebrated today as Leleith Mullings of Sanford, the 200,000th rider, prepared to board the WAVE van. Ms. Mullings has been a WAVE rider for the past 2 years, using the vans to get to school and to work. Today she was greeted with flowers, a $100 gift card to a local supermarket, and a certificate worth one free month of rides on the WAVE. The WAVE was designed as a job access and education transportation service, connecting people to work and training in the Sanford to Wells area. The children of riders are also brought to area child care providers as their parents are enroute to work or school. For a low monthly fare, the WAVE vans pick up riders who have made advance trip reservations, 7 days/week, with operating hours able to get riders to most work shifts. Following a collaborative effort with the Sanford-Springvale Chamber of Commerce, Child Care Services of York County, the Departments of Human Services and Labor (the Career Center), and the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC) received an initial grant from the Federal Transit Administration to start the WAVE in November 1999. YCCAC has since received additional funding to continue the very successful service, unique in Maine as a 7 day/week rural public transit service. This week YCCAC will be expanding the WAVE to serve trips between Biddeford and Sanford. “The WAVE continues to be a home run for York County. By connecting people with training and jobs, and getting their children to child care, the WAVE allows our local workforce to access the education and worksites that help the economy grow,” said Connie Garber, YCCAC Transportation Director. “At the same time, we are helping businesses access a more skilled workforce, who have reliable and cost effective transportation.” For more information about the WAVE, call 459-WAVE or for those not in the Sanford area, 1-800-965-5762, ext. 2939, Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Group photo with WAVE van: (from left to right) Claudette Dupee, Sanford Community Adult Ed; Marilyn Hutchinson, YCCAC-WAVE; Leleith Mullings; Connie Garber, YCCAC; Rick Stanley, Sanford Springvale Chamber of Commerce; Bob Meserve, WAVE; Dot Morin, WAVE Coordinator.