Last week I agreed to help Judy deliver meals on a route to local patrons. I had heard of the Meals On Wheels program but didn’t know much about it.
When we arrived at the facility on West Main Street, it was a hub of activity. People were lined up filling sacks and boxes with food. I was told to scrub up, put on rubber gloves and join in while a person near the wall issued out instructions. It all seemed like organized chaos but soon the insulated totes were filled with hot meals readied for their destinations.
kAm%96 7@@5 :D 4@?EC24E65 E9C@F89 $652=:2 u@@5 2?5 '6?5:?8[ H9:49 @H?D E96 3F:=5:?8 2?5 5@?2E6D E96 DA246] %96 C64:A:6?ED A2J 2 >@56DE AC:46 7@C E96:C >62=D] %96D6 2C6 AC:>2C:=J 6=56C=J A6@A=6 H9@ 7@C @?6 C62D@? @C 2?@E96C 7:?5 :E 5:77:4F=E E@ 86E @FE @C 42??@E 7:I 2 ?FEC:E:@FD >62= 7@C E96>D6=G6D]k^Am
kAm(6 925 `d DE@AD @? @FC C@FE6 D42EE6C65 @G6C 2 =2C86 D64E:@? @7 E@H?] %96 AC@8C2> @A6C2E6D 7:G6 52JD 2 H66< D6CG:?8 2? 2G6C286 @7 fd >62=D A6C 52J] xE @44FCC65 E@ >6 2D H6 H6C6 56=:G6C:?8 E92E E9:D :D C62==J 2 ?6:893@C\E@\?6:893@C AC@8C2> 2?5 x H@?56C65 9@H >2?J @E96C DF49 AC@8C2>D E96C6 H6C6 :? $652=:2] k^Am
kAmx 5C:G6 3J E96 $652=:2 $6?:@C r6?E6C ?62C=J 6G6CJ 52J D@ x 82G6 E96> 2 42==] %96J 2=D@ 92G6 23@FE fd A6@A=6 7@C =F?49[ H96? E96 H62E96C :D 8@@5] W!2CE:4:A2?ED >FDE 86E E96>D6=G6D E@ E96 46?E6C]X qFE E96J 2=D@ 92G6 2 AC@8C2> E92E 56=:G6CD `ad >62=D @? 2G6C286 A6C 52J] r@DED G2CJ 7C@> 23@FE Sf 7@C A6@A=6 F?56C e_ J62CD E@ 5@?2E:@? @?=J 7@C E9@D6 @=56C] p== 7@@5 :D AC6A2C65 :?\9@FD6[ AC:>2C:=J 3J G@=F?E66CD] x? 255:E:@?[ E96J 92G6 2 r9C:DE>2D 677@CE 56=:G6C:?8 7C@K6? >62=D E@ E9@D6 H9@ 56D:C6 E@ 92G6 2 >62= @G6C E96 9@=:52JD]k^Am
kAm%96 $2=G2E:@? pC>J 92D :ED #65 $9:6=5 r27é 2?5 D6CG6D 2? 2G6C286 @7 cd E@ e_ >62=D A6C 52J :? 255:E:@? E@ E96:C @E96C 7@@5 D6CG:46D 7@C E9@D6 :? ?665] %96J 5@ ?@E 492C86 7@C 2?J @7 E96:C D6CG:46D 3FE 2446AE 5@?2E:@?D] $FAA=:6D 4@>6 7C@> E96 u@@5 q2?< 7@C r6?EC2= 2?5 }@CE962DE |:DD@FC: 2?5 :D 2== AC6A2C65 :?\9@FD6] x? E96 DF>>6CE:>6[ E96 $2=G2E:@? pC>J 2=D@ CF?D 2 328 =F?49 AC@8C2> 7@C D49@@=\286 49:=5C6? 2E G2C:@FD =@42E:@?D :? E96 4:EJ]k^Am
kAmr@>>F?:EJ r27é :D E96 3C2:?49:=5 @7 zC:DE6? p==4@C?[ H9@ H9:=6 DE:== :? 9:89 D49@@= 4@?46:G65 E96 :562 2?5 962565 :ED 56G6=@A>6?E :? E96 62C=J J62CD] xE D6CG6D 2 DE625J b_ E@ c_ A6@A=6 6249 6G6?:?8] xE @A6C2E6D :? E96 s:EK76=5 r6?E6C[ 2 724:=:EJ DA62C962565 3J s@??:6 s:EK76=5 2?5 =@42E65 @? (6DE !6EE:D $EC66E] xE H2D 3F:=E 2?5 :D >2:?E2:?65 3J E96 s:EK76=5 72>:=J] %96J 5@ ?@E 492C86 7@C >62=D[ H9:49 2C6 2== 5@?2E65 3J =@42= @C82?:K2E:@?D] xE 92D 2? 2==\G@=F?E66C DE277 H9:49 C@E2E6D @? 2 C68F=2C 32D:D]k^Am
kAm}@?6 @7 E96D6 AC@8C2>D 4@F=5 6I:DE H:E9@FE :ED G@=F?E66CD]k^Am
kAm“&?E:= J@F G2=F6 J@FCD6=7[ J@F H@?’E G2=F6 J@FC E:>6] &?E:= J@F G2=F6 J@FC E:>6[ J@F H@?’E 5@ 2?JE9:?8 H:E9 :E[” 2FE9@C |] $4@EE !64< @?46 D2:5]k^Am
kAm$652=:2 92D =@?8 366? <?@H? 2D 2 42C:?8 4@>>F?:EJ — 2 EC25:E:@? E92E 4@?E:?F6D E@52J] '@=F?E66C:?8 :D E96 24E @7 8:G:?8 7C66=J @?6’D E:>6] x 42? E9:?< @7 ?@ 36EE6C H2J E@ 42CCJ @? E96 DA:C:E @7 r9C:DE>2D E92? 36:?8 2 G@=F?E66C]k^Am
