Celebrating Community Champions
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The Tillsonburg Multi-Service Centre is celebrating Community Champions Week, March 21-25, highlighted by local mayors delivering Meals on Wheels.
Meals on Wheels first started in Tillsonburg in 1981 when the Multi-Service Centre's Home Support team arranged for delivery of daily hot meals prepared by Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital through its network of Meals on Wheels volunteers.
Thirty-five years later, Meals on Wheels is still going strong in Tillsonburg with two regular routes, and the program has expanded into Norwich and Straffordville.
On Monday, Tillsonburg Mayor Stephen Molnar rode along with Multi-Service Centre's Lindsay VanLeeuween to deliver three meals.
"This list tells us what they're serving today," said VanLeeuwen at the TDMH meal pick-up area.
"Teriyaki beef..." said Molnar, reading Monday's menu. "Beef barley soup, rice, date squares and diet mandarin oranges."
"Be careful to not spill the soup," said VanLeeuwen as they transferred the insulated carrying bags to the car. "Some people sling the bags over their shoulders and..."
"I'll just take this one," said Molnar.
"You don't want to be responsible for the soup?" VanLeeuwen laughed.
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays tend to be the most popular days for meals, said VanLeeuwen en route to the first home.
"A lot of people just want meals a few days a week. Some save part of the meal, they'll have the soup for lunch and then have the entree for dinner. Or if you want, you can also order larger portions."
Over the years Molnar has delivered Meals on Wheels 6-7 times, first with Mayors for Meals, then Community Champions Week.
"On Wednesday Norwich Mayor Larry Martin will go out with us in Norwich," said VanLeeuwen. "We have two on the route that day."
Their first delivery is to Dorothy Wilson where Molnar, prompted by the list, identifies each food item as he places it on her tray.
"... and potato," said Molnar. "And, the exciting part is the mandarin oranges..."
"Yes," Wilson smiled.
"We like putting those in salads. If you have any left you can give me a call..."
Wilson laughed.
"That's a beautiful spring outfit you're wearing today," said Molnar.
"Yep," Wilson nodded. "Well 'spring has sprung' – didn't you see that snow this morning?"
"You take care," said Molnar after a couple of photos with Wilson. "Everything looks good. So we'll look forward to spring..."
"I'll look forward to seeing you again next year," said Wilson. "Come again."
"Hello," said Yvonne Janssens, their third delivery of the day.
"Hi, Yvonne... Steve Molnar, Mayor."
"What do you have?" Janssens asked.
"I've got your lunch, that's the important thing isn't it?" Molnar smiled. "Where do you want... Oh, you're all set up there."
"All set up," Janssens nodded.
"Yvonne, we have a nice soup – barley soup... a meat dish, and then date square for dessert, so you should be all set."
"And you're the mayor?" Janssens asked.
"My name's Steve."
"You're the mayor?"
"I'm the mayor," Molnar nodded.
"Well, pleased to meet you," said Janssens.
"Thank you," she added with another smile. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
For more information on Meals on Wheels call 519-842-9000 and ask for MSC Home Support Services.
Meals on Wheels
Daily hot meals ($5.95) are delivered Monday to Friday, excluding holidays, by rotating teams of volunteers.
"We usually tell clients to expect delivery between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.," said MSC's Lindsay VanLeeuwen. "We try to deliver to diabetics first, but it depends where they are on the route. It's available to anyone with a Tillsonburg address. Or in the town of Norwich. Or Straffordville and the surrounding Straffordville area."
Lunch includes an entree, soup or salad, and dessert.
The menu was recently changed, VanLeeuwen noted, and is on a three-week rotating schedule.
"If a client wishes to not be served something, we can accommodate that too. They're pretty good at accommodating not just dietary restrictions, but 'complaints' too. You can say, 'no tomato soup' or 'no broiled fish.'"
Meals are prepared in Tillsonburg at the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, in Norwich at The Village Restaurant, and Sunshine Restaurant in Straffordville. (VanLeeuwen noted meals are not available in Straffordville on Mondays).
In total, they have about 50 volunteers delivering meals, including volunteers from 10 corporate sponsor teams.
"And we're always looking for volunteers," said VanLeeuwen, adding the MSC is also looking for volunteer drivers to provide transportation for seniors in the community.
"We have volunteer drivers and runners (who deliver the meal to the home). Some people are flexible, they'll do whatever we need. Some are driver-runner teams. And some people, like myself, prefer to do both the driving and running."
The Meals on Wheels program currently averages about 75 meals per week – and they'd like to expand that number.
NEW FROZEN MEAL PROGRAM
For evenings, weekends or holidays, seniors might be interested in the Multi-Service Centre's new frozen meal program, introduced in the fall of 2015.
"We have that on the go right now," said VanLeeuwen. "Appetito is the provider and we store them here."
In addition to 'regular,' meals are available for all diet types and concerns including diabetic, low sodium, low calorie, low fat, vegetarian and gluten-free. All meals come with an ingredient list and detailed nutritional information.
"A lot healthier than a typical frozen dinner."
Meals, which come in microwave and oven-safe containers with cooking instructions, are available for $8 (entree, soup & dessert), $7 (entree, soup or dessert), $6 (entree only), and $1.50 (soup or dessert).
The menu accommodates everybody, said VanLeeuwen, noting they currently offer seven beef entrees (eg. shepherd's pie, traditional pot roast), six chicken or turkey options (eg. roast chicken, turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce, herbed chicken with mushroom gravy), five pork selections (eg. apple braised pork, baked ham, bangers and mash), three fish entrees (eg. fish and chips, salmon in leamon sauce), and two vegetarian (cheese and potato perogies, vegetable lasagna). There are eight regular soup options, including everything from chicken noodle and cream of mushroom to Italian wedding and turkey rice. Six desserts are available including banana cake, butter tart, chocolate fudge cake and triple berry crumble.
"We have some people who buy 20 at a time," said VanLeeuwen, noting they have a buy 10 get one free special. "We find that most people are buying entrees.
"They're mainly for convenience. There's a lot of variety. And the family knows they are eating healthy."
To order frozen meals, or for more information, call 519-842-9008 extension 357.