During Via’s 35th anniversary year, I am sharing my blog with guest writers – Via board members, employees, riders and community members – who are writing about their experience with Via. We also welcome your contributions. If you are interested in sharing your story for “Via Turns 35,” please contact Mary Cobb at 303.473.2882. We’d love to hear from you!
This week we’re hearing from Via board member Liz Abbott. Liz is a community volunteer and former director of the Boulder Public Library.
Lenna Kottke, Executive Director
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Via Celebrates 35 Years of Connecting People to the Community
Walking, biking or hopping in the car to go to work or do errands is something we often take for granted. However, for many seniors and individuals with disabilities, this is not possible. For them, Via provides essential mobility options enabling them to connect with the wider community.
My first exposure to Via was in the mid 1980’s. Following a cancer diagnosis, my mother moved from the east coast to live with us. Her arrival in Boulder came while I was pregnant with our second child. Our first child was still under three at the time, and I was also working.
Via allowed my mother to be independent. They took her to doctors’ appointments when we were unavailable and to a weekly volunteer group. While the medical access was crucial for her health, the volunteer work helped her connect to Boulder outside our family. The Via drivers did more than get her to her destination—they helped my mother feel less isolated and a part of her new community.
Those were the early days of Via (then Special Transit), yet it was already changing the lives of its riders. Now in its 35th year, Via serves Boulder County with expanded transportation options such as travel training, mobility options information and referral, and connections to community resources.
As a Via board member, I’m proud to be part of an organization with forward thinking leaders, high performance standards and genuinely caring staff. Via has touched thousands of lives during its first 35 years of service. With a history of success and a sound strategic plan, Via is positioned to remain an important community resource for many years to come.
Liz Abbott
