Amador County – The rising price of gasoline is a burden for everyone who operates motor vehicles, but it especially affects a local charitable organization that gives rides to cancer patients for treatment.

Amador STARS, the Support, Transportation and Resource Services, provides a variety of services to community members battling cancer, including its transportation program that consists of five vans and dozens of volunteer drivers.

Amador STARS Director Ginger Rolf said “our vans are on the road almost every day taking local cancer patients to treatments in Sacramento, Stockton, Lodi and Cameron Park. That means we have to fill the vans with gas often, and paying more than $4 per gallon of gas really adds up.”

An average of 4,500 miles is put on the Amador STARS vans each month making fuel, repairs and servicing a major expense for the local non-profit. Annual fundraisers support STARS, such as Amador County Camp Out for Cancer, set for Sept. 10-11, and Bunco for Breast Cancer, set for April 30th. However, individual donations made throughout the year also play a vital role in allowing Amador STARS to meet the growing needs of the community.

“Donations are always welcomed and appreciated,” Rolf said, adding that STARS is “committed to being an organization of volunteers and using our funds wisely. Our entire board of directors, including myself, are volunteers. The only paid position we maintain is our office manager who allows us to keep the Amador STARS office doors open to our community Monday through Friday.”

The funds and volunteers enable services, including but not limited to transportation, support groups, the Women Shine With STARS program and a resource library.

Anyone interested in making a donation to Amador STARS can do so online or print a form to mail in. Also, people can register online for Bunco for Breast Cancer, which is encouraged, as space is limited.

Amador STARS is a not-for-profit organization, created in 2004 with the mission of raising “local funds for local cancer needs.” The volunteer board of directors includes Gretchen Carlson, Nina Machado, Nancy Swensen, Phyllis Swensen, Carol Woolsey, Lisa Heimeyer and Ginger Rolf, director.

Amador STARS was formed to meet the growing need for cancer services and support in Amador County. The organization provides a variety of services for local cancer patients. Contributions made to Amador STARS, which is under the Amador Community Foundation’s 501(c)(3) status, are tax-free and exempt from federal taxation.

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