Meals on Wheels in need of volunteers

Revealed Thursday, Might. 26, 2022, 11:44 am

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By Rebecca J. Barnabi
For Augusta No cost Press

WAYNESBORO — The meals are prepped and completely ready to go. Senior members of the neighborhood are ready at house for the foods and the organization they will bring.

But, Foods on Wheels can’t go anywhere without the support of volunteers.

“Our Foods on Wheels software delivers balanced meals to house-sure seniors in the group,” mentioned Janice Gentry, Valley Method for Growing old Services’ Director of Senior Providers for Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro.

VPAS serves foods to 150 seniors in the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro, and around 70 in the county. Seniors living in the county get 20 frozen meals a month. Seniors in the cities get refreshing foods on Mondays and Wednesdays.

VPAS demands volunteers ready to deliver foods in the course of the working day on Mondays and Wednesdays. According to Gentry, it is challenging to uncover volunteers in the course of the weekday and the method wants as many as it can get. Meals sent on Mondays are to be eaten by seniors on Mondays and Tuesdays. And the Wednesday deliveries bring meals for Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, but VPAS would like to grow the system.

“So we’ve received some growing to do,” Gentry mentioned.

Meals on Wheels has 11 routes, and volunteers are encouraged to go out in pairs so that one particular can generate the auto, and the other volunteer produce the meals. Gentry reported volunteers who can provide on a scheduled basis are appreciated, but anybody obtainable throughout the working day is welcome to volunteer. Meals are picked up amongst 10:30 and 11 a.m., routes just take about an hour to operate and the volunteers are asked for to return baggage to VPAS in Waynesboro.

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Gentry mentioned the system shipped foods four times a week.

“We’ve seriously struggled with locating volunteers to appear again on board,” she stated.

On the other hand, the system provide additional than just food items for seniors.

“It’s also a source of interaction, socialization with the men and women who are getting the foods,” Gentry stated.

And the program gives a subtle opportunity for the community to safety check out its senior users, “and know that the group is seeking out for them.”

“That’s actually the component we’re striving to get re-introduced.”

Dean and Judy Obaugh of Waynesboro have volunteered for the application for a year and a 50 %. Each individual other Monday they provide meals to eight to 10 seniors in Waynesboro. Dean Obaugh volunteered for the system for 25 a long time in Richmond in advance of the few married and moved to Waynesboro.

“My spouse has often been a volunteer his total life,” Judy Obaugh said.

When she was searching for a way to volunteer in Waynesboro, Dean proposed Meals on Wheels.

“And I was on board with it,” she explained. “I really like supporting these men and women and I also enjoy conference them and conversing with them just about every week.”

Judy stated she and her spouse get to know the seniors like they are household. A couple of have moved absent and the few misses them.

“I believe it is seriously satisfying individually to do a thing like [volunteering for Meals on Wheels],” she explained, especially to volunteer for senior customers of the community, “and to give back to your group.”

If you would like to volunteer for Foods on Wheels, please get hold of VPAS Meals Coordinator Jennifer Grant at 540-942-1838 or e-mail [email protected].