Non-Profit News: Special Transit

A private, vintage car collection will be open to the public Sunday during a fundraiser for Special Transit, an organization that gets people where they need to go.Just because some people are no longer able to drive, it doesn’t mean they lose all interest in cars. Especially ones like those in Stephen and Shari Tebo’s private classic car collection. That’s part of the reason why Special Transit, a Boulder nonprofit organization, is partnering with the Tebos to open the collection to the public during a fundraiser Sunday.

Special Transit provides transportation at a low cost to people in the Boulder area who are unable to drive. Ticket sales from Sunday’s event, called Rev It Up!, will benefit the organization.

“It’s going to be a really fantastic opportunity for people to come see the cars, eat wonderful food and dance to a local band playing 50s and 60s music,” says Special Transit executive director Lenna Kottke.

Tickets are $75, and while they will be available at the door, Kottke recommends purchasing them online in advance.

Rev It Up! is the only fundraising event Special Transit does. The organization has 35 revenue sources, including some state and local money and private funding sources.

The organization provides rides for more than 2,000 people every year, Kottke says. But while many people in Boulder are familiar with the organization and see the Special Transit buses around town, some don’t fully understand the mission of the organization.

“It’s not about the buses,” Kottke says. “It’s about the people.”

Riders develop close relationships with drivers and with one another.

“Some of them have traveled with the same drivers for years,” Kottke says. “They know each other’s life stories.

For more information about Rev It Up! Visit the Special Transit Web site.