Date: Fri 22-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

meals-on-wheels

Full Text:

Meals On Wheels Honors Volunteers

(with cuts)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

Newtown Meals on Wheels held its 1998 Volunteer Coffee on May 13 in the

undercroft at Trinity Church to honor the more than 130 volunteers who helped

deliver a record 6,625 meals to 70 residents last year.

Annette Cantalupo and Prudence Skiff were honored for reaching the milestone

of 20 years as volunteers. Now in its 24th year, Meals on Wheels provides

meals to persons of any age, but primarily the elderly, who are house bound

and unable to prepare nutritious meals for themselves.

The 1998 Birthe Melville Bravo Award was presented to Gail Mas, chef/manager

at Ashlar of Newtown, the nursing home on Toddy Hill Road in Sandy Hook where

the meals are prepared. The award was given in honor of the late Mrs Melville

who was active in Meals on Wheels and in many charitable and civic projects in

Newtown.

Invited guests included Selectman Joe Bojnowski; Mrs Melville's daughters,

Nora and Claire Melville, and Tom Gutner, president of Ashlar of Newtown.

Fifteen year awards were announced for Marilyn Alexander, B.J. Greer, Rosemary

Carson, and Betty Christenson.

Volunteers who have given ten years of service include Jackie Argersinger,

Doris Bulmer, Ed Fansher, Jean Honan, Bill Honan, Karen Hoyt, Ann Kirk, Anna

Maye, Marti Williams, Collette Williams, and Sally Williams.

"Meals on Wheels is an organization of 100 percent volunteers. No one is paid.

We receive no state or federal funding," said Shirley Lawrenson, MOW

treasurer.

Mrs Lawrenson said that in 1975, its first year of daily operation in Newtown,

volunteers delivered 1,036 meals to 28 persons who paid $1 a meal. During 1997

the numbers grew to 6,625 meals and 70 recipients.

"This was not only the most meals that we have ever served - about 1,600 more

than 1996 - but [also] the most people we have ever served," Mrs Lawrenson

said. "In 1988 we served 49 people, the most ever until last year, so you can

see how much we grew last year."

Total expenses in 1997 were just over $17,400.

Ashlar prepares the meals at a cost of $2.25 per meal; recipients are billed

$2 per meal. Total food costs were just over $13,200; almost $12,000 was

collected from the recipients for the meals. Materials used to package the

meals cost over $2,400 last year. Insurance policies for the organization,

post office box rental, postage, and other supplies were more than $1,800.

"The total unit cost per meal last year was $2.63," Mrs Lawrenson said.

Meals on Wheels relies on donations to cover the 63-cent per meal revenue

deficit. In 1997 the Newtown Lions Club, The Newtown Woman's Club, and Newtown

Rotary made donations. Fifth grade students at Sandy Hook Elementary School

conducted a fund-raiser for Meals on Wheels; two meal recipients made generous

donations, as did employees at Taunton Press. Meals on Wheels also received a

grant from Hughes Optical Helping Hand Fund and receives some money in

interest and dividends as beneficiaries of two estates. Holiday favors for

meal recipients were provided during the year by various Girl Scout troops,

Cub Scouts, and religious education classes.

Meals on Wheels always needs volunteers who can donate an hour or two once a

month to deliver meals. Meals are picked up at Ashlar at 11:45 am and

delivered to six to nine homes on a set route, a process that takes

approximately one hour.

"Often the Meals on Wheels volunteer is the only person that the recipient may

see that day," said Colleen Honan, driver coordinator.

MOW President Rebecca Smith said the organization added an additional delivery

route in March of 1997 but, because of the increase in recipients, each route

has remained close to its maximum number of recipients.

Many Newtown merchants donated gifts that were given, by means of a free

raffle, to the Meals on Wheels volunteers at the luncheon. Amaral Motors also

provided the volunteers with a letter authorizing free service for a flat

tire, dead battery or other road emergency that occurs while they are making

meal deliveries.