Several elderly residents attended Tuesday’s meeting of theLincoln County Board of Supervisors to request the countyparticipate in a federal transportation program.

“We are a retirement community and we have a lot of elderly,”said Brookhaven resident Johnny Perkins.

A lot of the elderly live independently, but need help withtransportation for doctors’ visits, shopping, meals and otherneeds, he said. These elderly can take care of themselves in theirhomes, but many can no longer drive and have no nearby familymembers to assist them in their transportation needs.

Perkins said a federal program supervised by the Council onAging would provide the county with a vehicle to transport theelderly. The costs of fuel and the salary and benefits for a driverwould be the county’s responsibility.

Although the residents’ plea was heartfelt, some werelight-hearted in making the request.

Willard Stanley, 92, said she worries about how she will getaround the county when she gets older.

“I’m able to drive right now, but someone will take my licenseaway some day,” she said. “You’ve got to have transportation for uselderly who are still mobile.”

Bill Sistrunk provided another perspective.

“You can look at this as a safety issue, too. You can get someof us off the street,” he joked.

The county had a similar program for many years, but it has notbeen operational in quite some time, said County Attorney BobAllen. He could not remember when the program was stopped orwhy.

No member of the current board could remember a similar programbeing in use. They promised to look into the federal program.

Later in the meeting, Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop said he hadspoken with a representative of the Council on Aging about theprogram. A representative of the agency will attend the Feb. 6meeting of the board to inform the board of the program.