Meals on My Wheels

This week there were two articles on the Patch’s front page.  One described Wisconsin as having the stingiest charitable givers in the nation.  Another article illustrated Brookfield residents as one of the most charitable. 

I see Brookfield residents volunteer MUCH more than I do, which is both heartwarming and motivating.   I’m kind of reticent when I tell people about my volunteer activities.  On one hand, it’s truly my honor to serve and I don’t like to “show off” about what I’m doing for others.  On the other hand, volunteering really needs some exposure so other people can find out about it.

I’m coming up on my one year anniversary volunteering at the Brookfield Senior Center as a meal delivery driver.  Last fall I saw a request on the Patch asking for volunteers.    For some reason the request stood out for me.  Was I looking for something to do with me time?  Absolutely not.  I work full time (plus), manage a household and volunteer at school & church.  I wasn’t looking for another item on my platter.  The request called to me, though.  I always had a soft spot for people in their golden years.  Could I volunteer once a month for a few hours? 

I found myself sending off an e-mail to the Aging & Disability Resource Center for Waukesha County.   The forms were painless, and before long I was approved as a driver. 

The past year volunteering has taught me a few things. 

1. Be grateful for what I’ve got.  My car, although not “vintage” yet is pretty darn old, but it still runs great.  I’m able to zip around town without thought.  Although I’ve got aches and pains in my joints, I still go about my day pretty seamlessly.  I’ve got a family that loves me. The list is long.
2. I’ve met some amazing people.  I think home health care workers are angels in disguise.  The same goes to nursing home folks, volunteers, and senior center employees.  I don’t think I could do it every day. These people almost always greet me with a smile and a good word.  The people I deliver too are also gems.  They deal with issues I only have an inkling for now.  More often than not, I’m met with a smile and kind words.  Every so often they’ll call me “young lady”, and I beam (as I’ve passed “young lady” quite a few moons ago.)
3. Appreciation for our streets.  My deliveries have brought me to Brookfield neighborhoods I would have never seen otherwise.   Brookfield has single family dwellings, condos, senior housing, assisted living.  I’m a Gen X-er, but we and the Baby Boomers will be looking for senior housing in droves over the next few decades.  It’s good to know we’ve got some infrastructure already in place to house us in the future.

I’ve learned long ago that I get so much more out of volunteering than I put into it.  Sometimes I wonder if delivering a meal of turkey sandwiches makes a huge difference in the world.   All I know is that it does matter for someone who’s hungry. 

From someone who can put it much more eloquently than I:  “No act of kindness, not matter how small, is ever wasted.”  -- Aesop

Such is life in modern day suburbia.