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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The town of Maplesville presented a donation to American Cancer Society representatives on Oct. 18.

The Maplesville Town Council had previously approved donating $4,250. The council has also made donations to ACS in previous years.

Kimberly Williams of ACS said the organization is “so blessed to have them continue to support us.”

The funds have been earmarked specifically for the ACS Community Transportation Grant fund in Alabama.

Williams said the fund is used to give grants to hospitals and cancer centers to help cancer patients who are having trouble getting to appointments.

“If anyone has been diagnosed with cancer, they would find out about this opportunity through their cancer treatment facility,” Williams said.

The grants and the ACS Road to Recovery Program provided 18,202 rides to patients in Alabama in 2019. Williams said the program was not as active in the past year because of COVID-19.

Grant recipients in Alabama include Alliance Cancer Care, Clearview Cancer Center, Montgomery Cancer Center, Huntsville Hospital, St. Vincent Bruno Cancer Center

St. Vincent’s East, Infirmary Health, DCH, EAMC, USA Mitchell Cancer Institute, Southern Cancer Center, Providence Hospital, UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cancer Center at Huntsville.

ACS is in a campaign to raise $130,000 for the transportation program to be able to fulfill more requests.

“Providing 18,202 rides in 2019 made a real difference for so many patients in Alabama and their loved ones,” according to the fundraiser page. “Unfortunately, there were many unmet requests for rides, and we want to meet every need that comes our way.”

The $130,000 goal has been estimated as being able to provide 12,500 rides to patients.

Anyone can donate to the campaign here.