CT’s gift of vans help the helpers

By Steve Powell

Herald Writer

After spending much of the past five years in and out of jail and addicted to alcohol, Anthony Arndt says he’s ready to clean up his act.

Thanks to CASA Ministries in Everett, he’s succeeding.

He’s doing so well that even though he’s been there only eight months, he’s already helping others as house manager. Part of his duties includes driving other addicts to programs that will help them recover.

That job will get much easier next week as CASA Ministries picks up a free van donated by Community Transit.

Helping people such as Arndt is what the CT van donation program, which started last year, is all about.

"They’re owned by the community; we want them to keep serving the community. It’s part of our mission," Tom Pearce, CT public information coordinator, said Friday.

CT gave out eight vans and two minibuses to 17 nonprofit agencies, some of which will share them.

The vehicles will help seniors who can’t drive get to doctors’ appointments; recovering addicts get to job interviews; mentally ill clients get to therapy sessions; homeless women go to school; low-income children get to youth activities; others get to church; and more.

Pearce said the minibuses are worth about $6,000 and the vans about $1,500. They have about half their life left, with 150,000 miles on the minibuses and up to 80,000 miles on the vans.

CT started the program last year when state funding cutbacks forced the agency to eliminate weekend service, leaving thousands of residents without transportation. While Saturday service eventually was restored, the donations helped groups that needed transportation on weekends or nights when buses aren’t running.

Deciding who gets the vans each year is a chore, said Bob Throckmorton, CT manager of Transportation Management Services. CT received 52 applications from 83 organizations.

"It comes down to who best serves the community," he said.

"Each of these 17 organizations offers valuable services to our community, lending a helping hand to those in need," added Joyce Olsen, CT’s executive director.

Ed Blietz Jr, deputy director of CASA Ministries, which has 50 beds at four sites for drug and alcohol addicts trying to recover, said the van will come in handy.

"They walk everywhere," he said. "Most of the people who come to us don’t have a valid driver’s license. They’re in the process of rebuilding."

Rebuilding is what Arndt, 40, has tried to do for eight months.

After retiring from the military in 1996, he didn’t know what to do with his life so he turned to drinking.

"My life cycle stunk," he said. "I was in and out of jail four to six months a year."

A friend pointed him to CASA Ministries.

"I was sick and tired of being sick and tired," he said.

Arndt was reluctant at first.

"I didn’t want to come this way. My way was running," he said.

CASA Ministries gave him direction, guiding him the right way, he said.

"I accepted Christ into my life" for the first time, Arndt said. "The kids aren’t very spiritual here. But I’m always there to listen."

He’s now ready to help others. He hopes to get a job with CASA Ministries in the future.

"I like to help people. It’s my turn to give."