Food to Feed the Soul!

Kelli McRobert | Mar 30, 2022

Last week, there was a great gathering of ‘celebrity’ guests at the Southern Frontenac Community Services Corporation (SFCSC), to join in the 20-year anniversary of the March for Meals Program. Some of the celebrity guests included Mayor Ron Vandewal, Constable Richard Martin from the Frontenac OPP detachment, Steve, the delegated Frontenac Paramedic, and Interim Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for South Frontenac, Louise Fragnito.

The guests were offered the opportunity to ride along with a Meals on Wheels volunteer driver and meet a few of the recipients along the weekly scheduled routes. Each of the drivers had approximately 10 community members that they deliver for, and the meal for this day was Hawaiian chicken. Three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) the volunteers deliver healthy meals to residents and they can choose from a variety of menu choices including soup or salad, hot meal with a side and dessert. There is also the option for frozen meals, to supplement the regular delivery. Each meal is carefully packaged by volunteers at the centre, and they take into consideration any dietary requirements which is a refreshing shift from traditional menu choices. Meals run between $6-8.00 and are available to seniors and adults living with a disability.

Upon arrival to the Grace Centre, we were each matched with a ‘driver’ and were provided a folder that contained all the details of our upcoming journey including maps, meal choices, and beautiful hand made cards, created by the Girl Guides, these were being given out to each resident to brighten their day and welcome Spring. Lauren, the volunteer ‘Jill of all Trades’ was quick to identify the incoming drivers, offering short stories and details about each one, and then busying herself with loading and packing up cars for the drivers to head off, like a drive-through parade of benevolence.

I was partnered up with Muriel, and we loaded up the car at exactly 11 am and began our mission with military-like precision. Muriel, who has been volunteering with the program for several years, enjoys the time she spends getting out and meeting people. She is very familiar with the families along her route and knows the idiosyncrasies of each location in detail. Our route took us south and during our drive we shared stories of our families, where we live, and career choices we had made.

Within a few minutes we were at our first residence and were met by a quiet gentleman outside. He had a wife who was bed ridden so we offered up a creative card with bright flowers painted on it, and the two meals that would provide them with a hot lunch. He thanked us and headed back inside. As Muriel and I walked back to the car she explained that during the pandemic many of the clients would not venture out, and she would be their only contact, albeit masked, during lockdowns and isolation. We hopped back in the car and we off again, southbound.

Each driver has their own route, as mentioned above, and sometimes drivers will help take on another route if someone is sick or unable to drive on a certain day. Weather also plays a part as ice storms and blizzards make deliveries treacherous during the winter months. The drivers themselves must be careful as walkways are slippery and roads can be slick, so Muriel is cautious when attending some locations, but she is also driven and determined and gets the job done! Our route takes us down along Sydenham Road and we venture past Unity, here we get to meet a lovely PSW who welcomes us and shares the custom card with her employer (patient) as the lull of the Price is Right is playing in the background, his smile says it all, as he looks at the card and explains how much he enjoys the show while he eats his lunch. A pleasant fellow with a bright smile whose eyes speak volumes as he wonders who this masked stranger is in his living room. I bid him farewell, and we are off again.

A few more kilometers and we hop between homes with long winding drives, homes with seniors living independently, and families sharing spaces, like the father and son duo whose dog Dexter greeted us inquisitively in the yard. Each location, telling a story, some happy, some sad, as we weaved our way through the fabric of the community one meal at a time. At various locations, we asked to take a few pictures, and a lovely lady, with a pretty smile, paused, curious as to why I would want her photo. You look perfect, “I said”, and she chuckled and disagreed, but her smile, as she proudly held up her card, was enough to fill my heart, and she exclaimed “this is the best part of my day, thank you, ever so much.”

A few more stops and the ladies converged on the church where they sang Happy Birthday to the Priest as I admired the hand made mats that were being woven out of used plastic milk bags. “They are to protect you from the elements when sleeping on the ground” the volunteer offered, as I asked her to show me how they were made.

Back in the car, and heading north, a quick turn and we were back at the Centre, in time for a snack. Muriel had to leave, as she had a family commitment, but I headed inside to hear the stories from the other celebrity guests. Joanne Silver, the Meal Programs Coordinator, welcomed us inside and offered us a sample of the gourmet fares. Hot beef and barley soup, soft buns, and yummy cupcakes were laid out with care. The Chef, Josey Cadieux, came and went, as she guided me towards the gluten-free options and I found other (GF) kindred spirits who gobbled up the treats, that are a rare find at most volunteer gatherings. After some sustenance and table-side conversation, there were a few speeches and thank you’s and then a photo opportunity as we wrapped up our day in support of a worthwhile program, that is food for both the stomach and the soul.

Thank you for the invitation, I truly appreciate the opportunity to see what the Food Services team does and all the wonderful volunteers!

For more information on the Meals on Wheels program check out: https://www.sfcsc.ca/meals-on-wheels or call 613-376-6477 ext.303