Date: Fri 24-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Meals-On-Wheels

Full Text:

Meals On Wheels: On The Road To Caring w/ cuts

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Milda Kolesar and Rosemary Carson grabbed thermal containers containing packed

hot lunches off a shelf in a hallway just outside the kitchen at Ashlar of

Newtown and shoved them into the back seat of Milda's Ford Taurus.

For the next hour the two Meals on Wheels (MOW) volunteers would drive through

the Taunton area of town, delivering hot lunches to housebound residents who

have difficulty preparing meals because of their age, illness or temporary

disability.

The two women are among more than 100 volunteers who delivered a record 5,036

meals to 46 recipients in Newtown last year. More volunteer drivers are

needed, however, because the number of recipients continues to grow.

"All we ask from our drivers is a commitment of one lunch hour each month,"

said MOW President Rebecca Smith. "We try to limit the deliveries on each

route to five or six stops because we want to be sure that the recipients get

the meals while they are still hot.

Because of the increasing number of recipients, the routes now include eight

stops, and there is still a waiting list of people who need MOW services.

Adding a route requires approximately another 30 volunteer drivers.

"There are about 20 weekdays each month and some drivers like to have a

partner, so we probably need at least 30 for the route," said Bobbe Bowles,

who handles publicity for the non-profit organization.

Milda Kolesar and Rosemary Carson are long-time friends who have been MOW

volunteers for years, although they usually drive separate routes. When

Milda's regular partner is not available, Rosemary volunteers to fill in.

Rosemary also drives a second route in months that have a fifth Thursday.

"Except for a few years, I've been driving since about 1975, when my kids were

two and three years old," Milda said. "I'd bring them along, even into the

houses when I delivered. The seniors were always delighted to see the

children."

Each stop takes only a few minutes but for many housebound recipients, it is

the only human contact they have each day.

"Sometimes they ask you to set up the meal for them or drop a letter in the

mailbox," Rosemary said. "These people are starved for companionship. They

want to talk a little bit."

During holiday weeks last year drivers delivered tiny decorated Christmas

trees, pumpkins and placemats made by Boy Scouts. The amenities take a little

extra time but the volunteers cannot linger longer than absolutely necessary.

"Newtown is so large that even though the routes are well-planned, they do

take time," Milda said. "We make our first delivery at noon and want to

deliver the last meal by 1 pm."

At the women's first stop, on Taunton Lake Road, they delivered meals to an

elderly couple who get the MOW service a few days each week. Some of the

recipients have other help, such as home health aides, for part of the week

and do not need MOW every day.

The next stop was at the home of a much younger, unmarried man, who has been

debilitated by a chronic disease.

Quickly on the road again, Rosemary read the directions from a small notebook

to find the way to the home of Ernest W. Franck, who met them at the door with

his walker.

"I'm doing pretty good today," Mr Franck told the two women as they set up his

meal on the dining room table. "Would you mind putting this letter in the mail

for me?" he asked as they turned to leave.

Instructions for the next stop included "Don't let the cat out - he is deaf."

Another recipient was not home but there were instructions to leave the meal

in an insulated cooler outside the back door.

"You really get to know the town when you drive for Meals on Wheels," Rosemary

Carson said. "There are streets that I never knew existed."

Before a new volunteer driver begins a route, he or she is accompanied on the

route by an experienced driver. Generally, if a driver cannot make deliveries

on the scheduled day, he or she may swap days with other drivers or call MOW

and attempt to arrange for a substitute.

Drivers are never required to drive if they are afraid of the weather

conditions, Bobbe Bowles said. Recipients are told there may be occasional

days during the winter when meals can't be delivered so they should keep food

on hand. MOW has emergency drivers with four-wheel vehicles but last year,

with the record snowfall, there were four "snow days" when deliveries could

not be made.

A nonprofit organization that consists entirely of volunteers, MOW does not

receive any state or federal funds. For more than 20 years it has been

operated for the people of Newtown, by the people of Newtown.

"If people are looking for a nice easy way to volunteer, this is a simple,

undemanding service they should consider," Bobbe Bowles said. "We are asking

Newtown's generous citizens to help."

To sign up, or for more information, call Colleen Honan, driver coordinator,

at 426-0714.