“Tell them how rewarding it is to be a volunteer,” Sherrie Riebel said in asking folks to help deliver meals when Allen County takes over the Meals on Wheels program Aug. 3.
The county stepped up to the plate when Senior Services of Southeast Kansas changed its deliveries from hot meals five days a week to seven frozen meals once a week. The county will continue daily provision of freshly prepared meals through its jail kitchen.
“We need volunteers for Mondays and Thursdays, but will be happy to have more for any day,” said Riebel, county clerk and on whose shoulders falls the chore of getting the daily meals delivered to senior centers and the homes of elderly recipients.
Congregate meals will be provided in Iola, LaHarpe, Humboldt and Moran senior centers; Gas may be added, depending on its conversion of the old Gas School to a community center. In addition to delivering meals to homes, volunteers will be asked to carry them in bulk from the jail kitchen to the senior centers.
To clear up what may have been some mistaken considerations from a Wednesday Register story, senior services will make the frozen meals available, in addition to those prepared locally on a daily basis. Residents who want to inquire about weekly delivery should call senior services, 1-800-794-2440, by Wednesday. The county will not pay senior services for meals.
Meals provided by Allen County also may come with a price attached, again depending on eligibility — some will qualify for free meals, Riebel noted. First consideration is being 60 or older.
Information sheets about meals from both sources have been sent to residents who have been involved in the program, and are available in the county clerk’s office.
Volunteers needed for meals programs
