Meals On Wheels In Beloit

Meals on Wheels at Home in Beloit

By Terry Bailey

Meals on Wheels is a community based program dedicated to providing one nutritious noontime meal for those who wish to have one. This service also allows senior citizens to remain in their home for more years than otherwise possible and for them to maintain a sense of independence. When a noon meal is delivered, in addition to receiving the meal, the volunteer engages the senior citizen in brief conversation and performs a quick safety check. All this is done by an unpaid community volunteer who is performing this service at a little or perhaps considerable personal sacrifice to do so.

The Beloit Meals on Wheels program was started by a group known as Church Women United in the late 1970s. It operated in that capacity until the early 1990s when the Delphian Club took over the responsibility for the program under the direction of Shirley Nothern who served as Director and Treasurer. Nothern continued to lead the program until 2007. At that time she retired and Vickie Mears assumed the responsibilities as the program coordinator. At that time the United Methodist Church took over the duty for the billing. Currently Mears still serves as the coordinator but Nancy Clark at the Zion Lutheran Church does the billing.

Presently, the Beloit Meals on Wheels program provides a daily meal seven days a week for 39 senior citizens of our community. Mears said the number fluctuates from 30 to 40 people who benefit from having a noon meal delivered. The meals are prepared by the dietary staff at the Mitchell County Health Systems. The meals for the program have always been prepared by the hospital staff. Special dietary needs for meals can be provided as necessary. The cost of each meal is three dollars. The program receives no governmental subsidies or grant money.

Once the meals have been prepared it is up to local volunteers to deliver them to those who are in need. This duty falls into the hands of local churches and organizations who recruit volunteers from within their membership to get the job done. Without volunteers the job cannot be done. According to Mears the following people, churches and groups carry the load for delivering the meals: Lisa Thompson, Lutheran Church St. John’s Catholic Church, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Christian Church, New Life Christian Church, Rotary Club, Delphian Club, PEO Club, West Beloit 4-H, Garden Club, Guraranty Bank, First National Bank, Farmway Credit Union, Hilltop Lodge, City of Beloit, Beloit High School B-Club and Student Council.

While there appears to be a vast number of clubs and businesses who provide volunteers, Mears commented, “We have the same problem that most programs face when it depends on volunteers. It is the same people who do the work all the time. Many of the volunteers are performing the vast majority of the work day after day, week after week, and month after month. They enjoy doing the volunteer work, but they get worn down by carrying the load.” Mears went on to say that their stalwart volunteers, in addition to getting tired, are also getting older.

“It would be great to see some younger people in the community serve as volunteers. We need the younger generation to step up and help. This program would not be possible without volunteers. Without an infusion of new and younger volunteers, the long range life of the Meals on Wheels program will be in danger,” commented Mears.

Two cars are scheduled each day to deliver meals to the senior citizens seven days a week. The time commitment to help with delivery is about one hour. The volunteers deliver the meal and speak briefly to the client. Many of the clients are very willing to engage the volunteers in extended conversations but time restrictions dictate they keep moving to the next delivery. One volunteer reported that when delivery the noon meal, he found the client stuck in her reclining chair and was unable to get out of it. It was unclear when the next person may have stopped by to give assistance.

Those who would like to volunteer with this very worthwhile community project, may call Vickie Mears at 785-738-5066. She realizes that some folks can only help a little. She said, “If we have a lot of people doing a little, nobody has to do the whole thing.”

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA