Volunteer hits the road to give lift to seniors

While Al Loesel loves his volunteer job helping people get to medical appointments, it doesn't come without some heartbreak.

As a volunteer for Escorted Transportation Service Northwest, he provides transportation for older adults for health related appointments. In most instances, transporting seniors for medical care is a positive experience, because they are getting the attention they need.

However, when you also are taking them for dialysis or chemotherapy, you may be providing one of their last services.

"There was one client I picked up every Thursday morning," said Loesel. "But one Thursday I went, he wasn't there, so I asked a neighbor about him and she told me he had died. You know sooner or later it will get to be too much for your clients, but it's still always a shock."

Loesel has recorded each trip he has made over his 10 plus years of volunteering for the service. He has logged over 8,000 miles helping others. His first assignment was Oct. 3, 1996.

"My first run was for a fellow named Harvey," said the 77-year-old. "I took him to the Veterans Hospital in Great Lakes. That was a 57-mile round trip."

Like a scrapbook, Loesel flips through pages and pages of clients he's served. He has transported celebrities, "almost" celebrities and those who have left their mark, such as one kidney dialysis patient who later received a kidney. For the most part, he has enjoyed his traveling companions.

"There is only one lady that rubbed me the wrong way," said the Arlington Heights resident. "She had some connection with Michael Jordan and expected a gift through the person that worked for him. I just listened and didn't voice my opinion. It all went in one ear and out the other."

On average, most of Loesel's trips will take three hours. That includes pickup, drop-off, and time he might spend waiting at a facility. He'll usually read a newspaper or book while he's waiting.

"Loesel is one of our vintage volunteers, having done the program for over 10 years," said Kathy Kasprowicz, executive director of Arlington Heights-based agency. "He always goes the extra mile and will take on extra rides. He's a very pleasant person and some of our clients ask for him specifically. He's an all-around nice guy."

Loesel even rearranged his Thanksgiving day dinner in order to be available to take two women for their dialysis treatments.

"He's very flexible about helping," said Kasprowicz. "He's even gone to other towns outside the normal range. He not only donates his time, but he fills his car with gas."

One challenge Loesel occasionally faces is of a physical nature. Being a senior himself, it sometimes can be difficult to support clients with walkers, wheelchairs or those that may be weak from kidney dialysis. However, the task is made easier at facilities where wheelchairs are supplied.

Loesel's volunteering spirit may have developed as a natural offshoot to being a teacher for 40 years. During his career teaching in Chicago and later Skokie, he also pitched in as needed, whether it be driving an activity bus, acting as an assistant baseball coach or working one-on-one with a student in need.

Throughout the years, Loesel, who has one daughter and one grandson, has been active at his church, St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, where he serves on the finance committee, as an usher and has sung in their choir for the past 35 years.

"The other day my wife and I helped two ladies to dialysis," Loesel said. "As we walked out, one lady said to the other, 'they're so nice.' That brought tears to my wife's eyes. We were thankful we were well enough to help. We have our little problems, but nothing compared to others."