About 90 volunteers engaged in the Meals on Wheels program in Estevan, representing about half of the regular delivery force, gathered in the Taylorton Room at Days Inn last Wednesday at noon to receive a thank you lunch from the Sun Coutry Health Region and its local administration.
Debbie Augey, volunteer co-ordinator, said that last year's Meals on Wheels program in Estevan made use of more than 200 drivers/meal delivery volunteers plus an additional 13 "extra" drivers who filled in on short notice when gaps appeared in the regular delivery programs.
"These 200 people represented a total of 26 organizations or businesses," said Augey. She also introduced Bernadette Wright, manager of Estevan Home Care services and Lori Carr, Estevan's representative on the Sun Country Health Region's board of directors.
Carr said the health region appreciated the efforts made by the volunteers since they provided "stability for seniors," allowing them to remain in their homes, rather than having to move into extended care facilities sooner than they would want to.
Wright noted that over 5,000 meals were delivered to homes in Estevan in 2010. Wright and Augey noted that this was often done in very difficult weather conditions. Wright extended her words of thanks to the volunteers for their dedication to the program not only on her behalf, but also from the home care staff.
Plaques of gratitude were presented to representatives from nine Estevan-based churches who participated in the Meals on Wheels program in 2010. A number of businesses that donated employees and their time and talent to the effort were also given certificates of thanks. The substitute drivers were also singled out for special recognition.
The local Meals on Wheels program began officially from a health-care perspective in 1982, said Augey, who has been directing the project for the past five years. But she noted that a few volunteers in the crowd last week recalled delivering the meals as early as 1977 when the program was under the auspices of other community organizations.
Pre-luncheon entertainment was provided by a bank of five accordion players, two guitarists and a keyboardist led by Wilma Bjorndalen who noted that they were simply a group of friendly musicians who dubbed themselves The Frustrated Farmers for that day's "gig," a group that was paying tribute to a dedicated group of community-minded volunteers.
