Officials See Meals on Wheels' Impact

Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver smiles and a friendly word to the clients on the routes, as well as nutritious meals.

On Wednesday morn ing, Easley Meals on Wheels drivers saw a friendly face as they picked up their clients' meals.

Mayor Larry Bagwell helped Meals on Wheels prepare that day's meals. As he handed off th supplies, he thanked the drivers for what they do.

“This is rewarding for me to see what they do to supply food throughout the county,” Bagwell said. “It's rewarding to see a little, small thing happening in this little building spreading throughout the county. It's wonderful to see people being fed here, people who are lonely, who look forward to this visit on a daily basis. It means a lot to them.

“Some people sit in their house all day long and don't see anybody but the screen, and that's sad,” he continued. “It's an opportunity to contact people. This is a worthwhile project. I'm just happy to do what little bit I've done here today.”

Bagwell's time at the Meals on Wheels office was part of this week's Mayors for Meals campaign.

Pickens County Meals on Wheels Director Meta Bowers said the campaign has three components: fundraising, volunteer recruitment and an awareness campaign.

“This week, we've invted local politicians and elected officials to come out and learn more about senior nutrition programs, particularly Meals on Wheels and what we do in the community every day Monday through Friday,” she said.

Bowers said the program is “more than just a meal.”

“Our volunteers provide that companionship to that person,” she said. “We also do a safety check, make sure that everybody's okay, that everybody in the home is checked on and safe and where they want to be.”

If a client isn't home when a MOW driver arrives, Meals on Wheels follows up with them, Bowers said.

“We follow up with their emergency contacts or maybe even go out ourselves and check on them,” she said. “We try to make sure everybody's okay. There are some instances where volunteers will call back and say, 'Mrs. So-and-So doesn't feel well today,' and we'll make a call on their behalf, make a referral to another agency, or in some cases, call 911. We probably call 911 an average of twice a year.”

Many PC MOW clients don't have family who live nearby or their family members work during the day and can't check on them in person.

“Our oldest client is 101,” Bowers said. “We delivered to her Tuesday with Pickens Mayor David Owens and Councilman Randy Crenshaw. She was very flattered to have a visit from her elected officials.”

Though most MOW clients are older, there's no age limit, Bowers said.

“We serve people who are homebound and who are disabled and/or elderly,” she said.

Volunteers are always needed, Bowers said.

“We need volunteers daily,” she said. “We have 22 drivers that drive each day. We have 100 volunteers that we need to have each week to fulfill our routes. This year in particular, we've had many of regular and longtime volunteers have to retire either due to medical or change in life.”

Volunteers are particularly needed in the Central and Liberty areas.

“It can be very flexible or very scheduled, depending on the volunteer's work schedule or lifestyle,” Bowers said.

Bowers said MOW officials hope to move the program to a kitchen this year, in order to deal with increased demand that she knows is coming.

“The population at large is aging,” she said. “By 2030, every 1 in 5 people will be over the age of 60. People 80 years old is actually the fastest growing segment of the population. So we're really trying to be proactive and meet the growing need that we know is going to be there.”

Barbara Welmaker has delivered meals for Meals on Wheels for about 30 years.

“My mother-in-law Virginia Welmaker was one of the early members of the Meals on Wheels organization,' Welmaker said. “She delivered for years and I just took up after she couldn't do it anymore.

“I just love it,” she continued. “I meet wonderful people – lonely people, happy people, joyful people. It's just great.”