During the month of April, our Whistleland Cares campaign focuses on the amazing work of Meals On Wheels! On this show, you'll meet the leaders of Meals On Wheels in Greenville, Anderson and Pickens Counties and find out how YOU can be a part of what they do!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to Carolina Conference Call, a public affairs program produced
by iHeart Radio Green Now. Good morning, I'm Bill Ellis.
Our guest this morning is Laurie Ashley from Meals on
Wheels in Anderson. The great work that they do will
explain and how you can be involved. We'll tell you
first of all, Laurie, and I don't think I've ever
asked you this, but how and why did you get
(00:28):
involved with Meals on Wheels and Anderson Wow.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Well, twenty one years ago I was called and asked
to submit my applications. And I was actually working for
another nonprofit and had not been seeking a job, but
I just love seniors and so the idea of coming
here was enticing to me, and so went through the
process and thankfully received the job.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
And here I am later and doing great work for
all these years. But you were you know, you have
always been kind of a person who wanted to work
in a business where you served others. And there is
no better business than Meals on Wheels in Anderson County.
There's an all song a favorite of mine. It's called
Hello in There, and the line in the song says,
(01:16):
old people just grow lonesome waiting for someone to say
hello in there. Hello, And that's truly what you see
each and every day as someone who not only leads
but also volunteers with meals on wheels and Anderson. Explain
to your neighbors in your fine community why it is
important to volunteer.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Well, we couldn't do it without our volunteers. We serve
six hundred and fifty people a day all across Anderson County,
and we do that mostly with volunteers, So it requires
about seventy people a day to help us deliver. We
have forty five routes that go out all across Anderson County,
so we need those people.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
How many meals each day?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Six hundred and fifty?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
How does that all? First of all, how do you
put all the meals together? I've always wondered that.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Well, we have a kitchen staff that comes in early,
actually probably between five thirty and six thirty in the morning.
They're here getting prepped for the day, and so they
prepare the meals in our kitchen, and then we have
volunteers to come in and pack our trays, and then
by eight thirty the trays are being produced on the
(02:28):
line and the volunteers that work in the outlying areas
are here to pick up and go out and deliver.
I always like to say it's kind of a domino effect.
So the people in outlying areas, you know, Powdersville, Belting,
Honey of Paths, Powdersville, star Iva areas, those folks come
in earlier and pack up multiple routes of meals and
(02:52):
go out and deliver those two someone in the community
who meets them at a certain time that we call
and tells them when they're going to be there, and
then they are the ones that go out and deliver
to the homes in their own communities.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Well, you know what, It almost seems like a relay race,
a daily relay race where somebody hands the baton to
one that hands the baton to another. I had noticed
and you guys had a post on your Facebook page
back on the twenty eighth of March last week where
you were asking for volunteers, people to become volunteers with
Meals and Wheels. We will share that, by the way,
on the Ellis and Bradley Facebook page to get the
(03:24):
word out even further. But exactly what kind of volunteering
do you need? Is it more than just delivering the meals.
What what kind of help are you looking for here?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We're looking for volunteer for route driver volunteers. We do
have the folks that come in and volunteer on our
packing line. That's usually more occupied than delivering and driving
is people. There's groups of folks that come in and
do our packing line. Now occasionally, you know, well, obviously
we do need some help there as well, but our
(03:56):
biggest need right now is driving and delivering. That's the
thing I mentioned earlier is people can do it in
their own community. So you know, if they live in
the outlying areas of Anderson County, we can work with them.
They could either come here and pick it up, or
we can have it delivered out as I was explaining
earlier to them, and then they can deliver in their
own community. Or we have about twenty routes that are
(04:18):
right here in the downtown Anderson area, so you know,
we can easily probably find a day that fits the
person's schedule as well as a route that fits the
person's schedule.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
The meals are delivered daily Monday through Sunday.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Is it like Monday through Friday?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Monday through Friday, so it's a five day a week
delivery service, and what times of days are these deliveries taking.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Place in the mornings, so usually we ask people to
come in between eight thirty and eleven AM, and that
way the meal is delivered by for a noonday time frame.
You know, our folks get used to the people that
are delivering a little bit early, so they know that,
you know, their meals coming a little bit early, and
they don't mind having that meal early. We've got instructions
(05:03):
on the sheet on the package that tells them if
they don't want to eat it quite yet, how they
can keep form or you know, go ahead and put
in the refrigerator for a while, or whatever they want
to do with that.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
But listen, I've.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Heard from several friends of mine over the years who
have done this work with the meals on wheels, and
maybe you can speak to it as well, because it
is more than just delivering a wonderfully prepared meal to
someone who otherwise probably wouldn't have one, But it's also
about the human touch, is making that connection with that person.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Absolutely. You mentioned the song. We call them a lot
of times, the forgotten generation. You know, people just don't
think about how lonely. It is when you can't get
out and about and do your own thing. But these
people really want to be in their own homes or
they can't afford to go to a nursing home or
something of that sort. So you know we're we're a
(05:58):
lifeline connection to them and that way someone checks on
them and make sure they're okay for the day. It's
a warm smile that comes to their door and just
you know, showing that someone cares.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I'm telling you, if you're looking, folks, and you live
in the Anderson County area and you're looking to get
involved in your community in a real meaningful way, I
just know that if you were to become a volunteer
delivery driver for Meals on Wheels of Anderson, you would
be hooked on it after your first week because you
realize you're doing something extraordinarily valuable. You're always asking yourself,
(06:33):
probably how can I make this world a better place.
It's one giving heart at a time. And if you
were that individual who stepped up right now and reached
out to Meals on Wheels of Anderson and said, yeah,
I've got some time in the morning hours where I
can make that delivery you do that for one week
and you start make a connection with those people you're
delivering to. Believe me, you'll feel wonderful for doing it.
(06:56):
People want to volunteer, you know this. People really want
to help. They just want to make sure that the
work that they're doing matters. And when you work with
Meals on Wheels as a volunteer, you matter.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You're exactly right, And I do want to stress that
we fit people into a schedule that they want to
fit into. So it's not like saying we need you
every day of the week, or we need you every
week of the month. You know, if you have some
time to give a certain day of the month or
a couple of times a month. It's always where we
(07:28):
are always fitting people into to what their needs can
what they can give us. You know, have folks that
go on vacation for a month at a time, or
you know, something like that. So we're always looking for
people to sit into where the schedule work for them.
It's not like we say it's mandatory, you do.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
It this way.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I understand use how how to do it.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
I am sure you're grateful for any volunteers that would
step up, and I'm a chill looking at your spreadsheets
set up that you've got. This is really the infrastructure
that you've set up and makes it very easy for
someone to commit to be an involved because it tells
you specifically, here's a route, let's say Whitehall Road west
North Avenue, we need a driver like the particular day
here and this time and all that. Guys, it's not
(08:12):
that hard to get involved with Meals on Wheels and Anderson.
And like I said repeatedly here, once you do it,
you will be hooked and you will tell your friends
this is a wonderful thing to do. Is bringing food
to the doorstep of someone who needs your love and attention.
A wonderful organization, no wonder you've been with them for
so long.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I enjoy it every day now.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Again, just tell folks maybe the best ways to reach
out to you. And I always find that social media
is a wonderful window into the work that people do
and thankfully Meals on Wheels Anderson. If you look them
up and friend them on Facebook as we have, you'll
see that they do a wonderful job communicating with the
community to let folks know what they're doing almost on
a daily basis. So that's one good way to get involved.
(08:55):
How else should we reach you, Laurie.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
We have a website Meals on Wheels Anderson, or they
can give us a phone call eight six four two
two five six eight zero zero, or they can come by.
We love to say come see us. We love to
show how the process works. So if anyone is interested
in seeing that in the morning hours, we would be
glad to walk them through the process and show them
(09:18):
how everything works.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Here and where are you located, Laurie, One.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
One five South Fance Street here in Anderson.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Fantastic and the fabulous Electric city. Well, let me just
say they were very lucky to have you in a
role of leadership because I know you do this as
a as a calling and you've served this community well.
And anyone who's already volunteered with Meals and Wheels Anderson,
thank you so very much for making your community better
and stronger and filling the hearts of a lot of
people who really do need your love and attention. And
(09:46):
if you are a potential volunteer, perhaps this discussion we've
had with Laurie will prompt you to reach out to
Meals on Wheels Anderson and do it. Do it once.
Promise you you'll be hooked. Laurie, thank you for being
on Carolina Conference.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Good morning, and welcome to Carolina Conference. Called with me
this morning is Katrina Carlyle. Now she's executive director of
Meals on Wills Greenville. Good morning, Katrina, good morning. How
are you wonderful? Wonderful now with you? How long have
you been, first of all with Meals on Wheels Greenville.
I'm in my fifteenth year, fifte Well that's why I'm
the executive director. Hone, you worked your way up there.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
I like, which is you know, I think about it.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
It's been an amazing fifteen years with a wonderful organization.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
It's really been great to I still really enjoy walking
in the door. It's a livery day.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
I think it's from our great staff, to our wonderful
volunteers and people that are involved.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
We just are so.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
Fortunate to have what the community supports us in generosity.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Right over the years, I mean fifteen years from day
one when you walked in the door. Now when you
go in today and walk through the doors, what will
be different than it was fifteen years ago?
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Do you think, oh gosh, great question.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
I think fifteen years ago where we were organizationally is
really looking at what's coming, right, the Silver Tsunami, so
many more baby boomers retiring or needing our services, and
so we were really at a place to make sure
organizationally we were ready for that. And you know it
was coming, right, We knew it was coming, and so
(11:22):
how do we make sure we're prepared? I would say
right now we are really thinking very strategic and about
the future. Whatnot only does meals on wheels need to
be doing for our clients, which are the most important
homebounding seniors in Greenville County, but also we're starting to
take more of a lead role in our community with
(11:43):
regard to food insecurity advocating. So I think we're thinking
bigger picture. Yeah, what more can we do now? If
I had to really kind of pinpoint.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Out, that's funny because you being the executive director, I
guess you never really live in the present. You're always
five or six years ahead, you know, when you're thinking strategic,
when you're thinking about plans, you know, and that's good
because now, like you said, especially now, you know, because
economy is crazy, you know, you never not know what
to expect. So here you are going to make sure
that people at least, you know, the most decent thing
(12:13):
we can do is feed our neighbor.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
You know, that's it.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
And so many of our neighbors for whatever reason, need
either our help or Greenville so fortunate to have great
agencies that deal with food and security or housing and
just to make sure the access to good nutritious food
is there.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Now, if someone will I guess volunteers, you say, you're
wonderful volunteers. That's probably a huge part of your organization.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
We do.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
We we have one hundred and forty five or forty
six routes that are delivered every Monday.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Wednesday, Friday, money Wisy Friday.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
And so then we also use volunteers to package our meals.
So every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, we need a minimum one
hundred and fifty volunteers.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Do you ever fall short? We do.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
You know, it's it's tough. We know life is busy.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
Sure people are both working in the household, people are
taking care of their parents because whatever that is. So
we just try and reach out to the community in
different ways. We do a weekly orientation every Thursday at
nine thirty on zoom. So we try and make it
easy for those to come learn about how they could help.
(13:21):
We try and make the volunteer experience.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Easy for sure. Sure you know, and you know we
know about the delivery. And by the way, not to
skate over that a little bit, but the people that
go and knock on the door and say have your
meal with me, I'm assuming they're doing more than just
going handing them the meal then maybe looking to see
if they're speech is slurred or maybe they don't look
as healthy as they did the other day.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Is that they are.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
Yeah, they're really the lifeline between us and our client.
The meal, we know is so important from a nutrition standpoint,
but that personal connection that the volunteers provide it what
we talk about is feeding the soul of the client.
And when they deliver that meal, they're looking, you know,
how are they compared to the last time they saw them,
and if there's a change in condition. Our volunteers are
(14:06):
so caring they let us know and say, hey, you
may want to check up on message.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Oh good, good, and like said, very important because you
you know, we've seen it in the news. There's horrible
stories where some may may have passed and day. We're
a loan for two weeks before some realize okay, you know,
so the meals and we'll see somebody's knocking on a
senior's door, somebody who cannot leave the home. So important
that you all do that when someone is delivering the
meals or is it a team where they go to
themselves or how does that work?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
We really want people to go in teams.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
Okay from a safety aspect and to make the process quicker.
One can be the navigator, one can be the runner
of the meals, but really from a safety standpoint, we say,
you know what, get a buddy, go deliver. We have
a lot of corporate route partners that are businesses in
Greenville that allow their staff to deliver and so a
(14:50):
lot of them use it as a team building.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Individuals that maybe don't work together as much on a
day to day basis. So it really while it's for
our claw or volunteers say they get so much more
out of it.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Well I can imagine. I can imagine now if somebody
wanted to volunteer, but they didn't really they don't like driving,
or they don't want they're not great with people. Is
there anything else that they can do. They can come
in and package meals. That's an hour and a half.
We do that five days a week.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
We need volunteers in the lobby to help.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
We do a drive through system, so volunteers pick up
their meals, so we need help with those. We have
volunteers that help us with some office work, maybe writing
some notes, doing putting new client packets together.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
So whatever your skill is, you'll find a place.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
We'll find a place.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Yeah, yeah, you're not for us, And I'm going to
imagine donations make you grow. You know, money we all, oh,
don't talk about money, but well money we.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Need, yeah, donations. Our hot meal program is supported one
hundred percent through private donation, okay, and then we have
other programs that are supported through grants. We did some
we're a food vendor for some other agencies that provide
some other revenues. So we really try and look at
(16:07):
how are we bringing the funding in and making sure
it's diversified, especially when we look at the economic client
currently right, right, they're different trends. We want to make
sure that we're not impacted where the service that we're.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Giving our clients is impacted. Right.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Oh, and it hasn't been thankful, well, good good, And
we say we always call this, you know, whistle. We
always called this, you know, the heart of the Upstate.
And and I always think about we are so fortunate
to where we live because there are a lot of
people that give, and they donate, whether it's cash or
their time. You know, whenever we ask stations, they always
seem to always step up.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
They do, I think, I think Hurricane Alene is a
great example. I mean it was something that our community
had never seen before.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
No, no, and we.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
And that answered the call for not just meals for
our clients, but others in the community. That following week,
we did over seventy five hundred extra meals.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Why was that just people can't get out of their homes.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
We we can't get out.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
A lot of places didn't have power, and so we
were serving those that just needed a hot meal, right
And that the community really stepped up to help pay
for those extra meals that we did.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
And that just doesn't happen, you know in your community.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
I mean we were talking about you working so far ahead,
but who can prepare for hurricane in the upstate of
South Carolina. I mean that one no what so you
just have to make it work and we are prepared.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
Thankfully we have a generator of our building, so we
did not lose power, okay, but no one would have
ever thought the devastation we would have seen.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
No, No, it was terrible. You know. And you have
events that raise money. Do you have some events that
come up or how do you all?
Speaker 4 (17:43):
We do?
Speaker 5 (17:43):
We have events during the year. We just had our
Sweet Art Charity Ball, which is a black tie event,
a fun night to get dressed up.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Love that.
Speaker 5 (17:51):
We have a golf event in the fall. We have
a wonderful young professional group that has over one hundred
members that does a lot of differ fundraising.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
They do a fallse social.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
And let me just interrupt there because as a as
someone who didn'tet married till she was later in life,
I'm thinking, ooh, nice place to be a man or
a woman. You know, it's I mean social gather yeah yeah,
self back in the day.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
And they do different things happy hours, yeah, doing something
at Kendri Scott this weekend. So we just have a
lot of different people advocating and raising money on our right.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Well, I think that's what and so you know, if
we wanted more information with your events and things, and
if I wanted to make a donation, I'm assuming as
your website.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
The best place to go is our website, Yes on
wheels Greenville dot org. It has everything that we're doing.
We're actually building a new facility. Oh tell me about that.
We we've been in our current facility over thirty five years.
We've just outgrown it. No at our capacity to do
more meals just in there. And so three or four
(18:52):
years ago when we talked about looking ahead, we talked
our board, our leadership, our staff, you know, what do
we what do we want to do, what do we
need to do, and what's our barrier? And what came
off is our facility And so we're really excited. We're
just about a mile and a half from our current facility,
perfect at a Gus road in eighty five and this
new facility will allow us to add new programs and
(19:16):
at some point be able to trip our meal production
if needed.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
And of course the needle just continue to grow, like
as the boomers and everybody start to.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Greenville County is growing at such a great too, right,
we want to make sure that we're prepared like we were.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
You know, fifteen years ago.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
And that's where your brain comes in, Katrina, thinking I
need to think we had to do this, you need
to do that. I think that's wonderful and you brought
us something and I just want to hit on this quickly.
If it's a business owner's listening or manager's listening, if
they wanted to find out about how you work, like
let their employees take a couple of hours here to
deliver meals or how does that work? Or could they
contact you.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Or what they can go through the website.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
Okay, look at the volunteer there's information about our corporate
route program. Okay, good and our director of Volunteer Services,
Muriel Taylor, is the contact and we come out and
talk to your group, do orientation. There's a mobile app
for meal delivery, so it's really easy. Nice and we
just you know, I think right now we probably have
close to one hundred groups.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Oh and a lot of times I know, you know
here with iHeart. You know, they encourage us to get
out and work in the community, and I know a
lot of people want their people to do that, and
this would be a nice organized team building way, as
you said, to do that.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Meal packaging is a great team building. It's ten people
on the line, it's an hour and a half to
maybe two hours, and you were doing the meals that
are going out that day.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
It almost reminds you like my Grandmo and them cannon beans,
sitting around simply and just getting you know, getting everything done.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Well.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I think you all are doing fantastic work. And what
if somebody wanted to refer how do we Let's say
I knew of an older person in my neighborhood that
says uh or talk to their family. I have somebody
in my family. How's that work?
Speaker 5 (20:55):
They can go to the website, okay, but if they
just want to call and talk through that, it's the
first step into getting someone on our service. I'm referred
by a physician, social service agency, faith based.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
Community, another nonprofit.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Right, but then we have if you're over a certain age,
someone can just call and make the referral themselves, because
we know for some people it's challenging to get to
the doctor, get to other places that can start that
referral product.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Right right, Well, again, what you're all doing a fantastic things.
Is there anything we haven't talked about you want to try?
This is your time. I want to make sure we
get what's happening at Will's Meals on wheels Greenville out.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
I think we've talked.
Speaker 5 (21:32):
I mean obviously volunteers, yeah, any we always need volunteers, okay,
and so if you're interested, please just reach out.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
We'd love to share about it.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
The financial donations help us keep going right and make
sure it keeps us. We don't have a waiting list,
and our meals are free of charge.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
We don't have a waiting list.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
We do not, so Greenville County is really fortunate. We
have just committed we we don't want there to be
a waiting list right right, and so some of our
partner in some of the other counties have that, and
we just know that people need the service and so
we want to keep that going well.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
I think this fantasic, fantastic. And you know, always say
in the South, if you love it, you feed it,
you know, and we love food in the South, Honemy.
One thing you do is is if somebody's hungry, we're
gonna make sure you get fed well.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
And I'll say, one thing we didn't talk about is
the meals. Oh yeah, we are really proud of our meals.
We have an amazing kitchen team that really takes pride
and especially over the last year year and a half,
the clients have loved the meals we're doing. We work
on a twenty one day meal cycle, so the meal
(22:39):
they get today is not the same for another twenty
one day.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Give me example, what has been served last.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
So we just got this wonderful email. It was chicken
the Brussels sprout.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
She loved.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Every meal has a protein, a starch, of vegetable and
a fruit. Oh wonderful, and she You know, they just
rave about what's being done now. And so we're really
proud of that because many of our clients just could
be the only hot meal right get until we want
them to eat it. They're taking medications, they could be
recovering from being ill, so it's really important they eat
(23:12):
the meal.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Thick on their tummy that they won't get sick with
their medication. I mean, see, this is why you're a
executive director and I don't even work there, because you
are so smart to think about things like that that
let us lay people don't realize that that's important. You
know that they get that hot meal. We know that's important,
but you know to tie it into their medications and
make sure it's the health get the balanced meal like that.
If you want to make a donation, if you want
to become a volunteer, if you want to foind out
(23:34):
how your corporation can become a volunteer and start cannon beans,
as I like to say. But plaiting up those meals
because they're really going to go to someone who needs it.
Perhaps they don't have any family left, just perhaps family
can't you know, they work, they can't get there in
the middle of the day. Just check out in their
website is I'll let you do the.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Website Meals are on Wheels Greenbull dot org.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Meals on Wheel dream bult dot org. Thank you so
thank you for having me. Oh we've been talking to
Katrina Carlos. She's the executive sure of Meals on Wheels Greenville.
Thank you for joining us. Good morning, Welcome to Carolina.
Conference call with me this morning is Kim Valentine. Kim
is the executive director of Pickens County Meals on Wheels.
(24:14):
Welcome to our show. Thank you so much. Well, you
know what you do is just amazing. I think we
all know about Meals on Wheels. You know, but it
goes beyond just because you think, oh, yeah, they take food,
they give it to people so much more than that,
I'm going to assume.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Yes, it is so delivering a meal, you're actually meeting
someone that it's possibly the only person that they see
all day. So it's important to have that interaction with
those folks who live alone.
Speaker 7 (24:38):
They look forward to it and believe it or not,
our volunteers say.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
It's just as rewarding as it is for the.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Recipient, right because, like I said, we may be the
only people that see them. So if there is some
sort of health crisis that they're going through, if there
is something they don't look right, they're flowing their words
or something, you're able to get them the medical health
that they need.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
Yes, So the procedure is once they arrive at the house,
if they find that that person has some kind of
different attitude or look, or if they're struggling or anything
like that, they are to call our office and then
we reach out to either Sometimes a lot of times
we've done emergency services calls, but most of the time
we do call out to their emergency contacts to let
(25:19):
them know what's going on so that they can follow
up with them, and of course we do circle back
the next few days just to check back.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
I was gonna ask you that. So you there obviously
to get people registered. Is that part of the information
is you want you want to know some relatives or
close knit friends, like you say emergency contact.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
So the application process is on our on our website
and they complete that themselves. There is a portion of
that they tell us who they would like for us
to contact first and second person as far as if
they needed to be taken to the.
Speaker 7 (25:49):
Doctor or whatever or right, because somebody's.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Gonna have to fine offer, somebody's gonna have to say
it's okay or you know something correct. Yes. Is the
need great in Pickens County for something?
Speaker 6 (25:58):
Oh my gosh. We receive application every day. It's very overwhelming.
I really try not to stress too much about it
because it all works out and we eventually get them
on the program. But right now the need is greater
than it ever has before. I think we have about
one hundred and twenty one hundred and seventy five people
on the weight list right now.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
On the weight list, not even that you're helping on
the w Yeah.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Yeah, so we have we have, sorry, we have twenty
six routes within the county and then three of the
three additional higher driver routes. So the twenty six routes
are all volunteer driven. So in order for us to
add those people to the program, we would actually have
to create new routes and recruit new volunteers for that.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Oh that's crazy. And so you're talking about the volunteers,
what is it kind of commitment because you know you'd
love the I'm sure you love to add those twenty
six routes. And what kind of commitment does it take
so to be a volunteer? We really you know, years
ago people would volunteer once a week.
Speaker 6 (26:54):
Everybody's so busy. Now we accommodate anything. We tell our volunteers.
You know, if you can deliver once a month, twice
a month, right, every two weeks or once a week,
we're we're happy to get anybody.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Right. Do you think it's because we have the baby
boomers are starting to age out? You know, because that's
kind of a lot. You have the bottom of it
and the top of the baby boomers. Are they starting
to age.
Speaker 7 (27:14):
Yeah, so definitely.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
So we've lost a lot of really good drivers that
have been with us for years. We actually have probably
I would say about three or four people that have
been with our program for over twenty five years.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Yeah, as clients are volunteers, volunteers, volunteers. Do you see that?
Do you see a lot of times it's the older
people who are mobile?
Speaker 7 (27:33):
And oh for sure, for sure.
Speaker 6 (27:35):
So the majority of our volunteers are age I would
say fifty five and up.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Yeah, because you know we are heading that way or
we're grateful maybe grateful that you are still mobile and
able to drive.
Speaker 6 (27:46):
A lot of people who were you know, who've been
in the workforce for all their life and they want.
Speaker 7 (27:50):
To give back when they retire.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
So yes, and and for purpose too. Yeah, well don't
get out of bed this morning. I'm gonna help somebody.
We'll be somebody can to themselves. Now we're trying about
volunteering too. So I just think you need drivers, But
does it go beyond that.
Speaker 6 (28:04):
Yes, so volunteering. We also have volunteers in our kitchen.
We have volunteers that come in at our senior centers
and call BINGO.
Speaker 7 (28:11):
They help with parties.
Speaker 6 (28:13):
We have people that just come in and pick up
meals and transport those meals to drivers because we have
different pickup areas for volunteers throughout the county. And we
always tell people if you can't volunteer or think about donating,
I mean, right, we always need donations.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Well, yeah, and I'm sure there's somewhere on your website
if somebody did want to go and donate.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
Oh yeah, there's a section on the website you can
donate straight from our Facebook page.
Speaker 7 (28:38):
You can actually have VEMO.
Speaker 6 (28:41):
I need to add that onto our website, right, yeah, Well,
somebody wants that VMO, I'm sure they can send you.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
I guess I see your email up here on the website.
Speaker 7 (28:48):
They can send me an email and I'll be happy
to send that.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
To get that VENO information to them.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
Right.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
So, but now the volunteers that do you have, they
explain it to me. I'm a little lost. So I
just assume there's one place everybody cooks and one place
everybody but you have satellite.
Speaker 6 (29:01):
So our home office site is the mckisicks Center in
downtown Liberty. It's a former school. It used to be
a high school years and years ago, and then I
think it was a middle school and then elementary school.
So that was refurbished in twenty fifteen and we opened
up our one, our first senior center at that location
(29:21):
as well. So downstairs is the Senior center and then
upstairs is the dining room and kitchen, and in that
kitchen is where we cook all of our meals for
our home delivered meal program, and we cook all of
our food for our congregate sites.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
Well, I did not know you had senior centers. That's
something you give me.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
How did that work?
Speaker 6 (29:38):
So we opened a senior center in Liberty and that
was our first one, and so we have probably about
twenty five to thirty members that come each day. It
runs from eight thirty to two thirty. We offer socialization
in the morning with coffee and snacks. We have exercise
at nine we do bingo, of course the bingo, and
(30:00):
then they play a game of left right center dice
game after that, and then they go upstairs for lunch.
We have a group of people that stay and they'll
either shoot pool or play cards. And then our central location,
which is over by the Clemson Central Recreation Center, they
are a lot more active over there. They do a
lot more cornhole and.
Speaker 7 (30:21):
Rain toss, but it's basically the same concept. We offer
exercise in dining.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Now that's got to keep people sharp too, you know,
because you're your brain and soulssation things like that. So, now,
does somebody have to register to be there? Can they
just drop in at the Senior Center.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
They can drop in at any time. We do have
an application process. To be a member is twenty five
dollars and for a couple it's thirty five dollars. And
we do take the folks. We do joint ventures with
the senior centers. We take them to We've gone to
the Skytop Orchard, to Tooga Bell Farms and we charter
a big bus, so a lot of folks go on that.
(30:58):
We're getting ready to open a third senior center and
easily at the old y MCA building. That building on
Burns Road is going to be refurbished. It's going to
have a child development center on the outskirts and on
the inside section we'll have our senior center.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
What a fun mix though, right, Yeah, So.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
We're hoping eventually we can work out some type of
intergenerational programming. Yeah, sure, so we're happy to explore that.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
But it's all new right now, let's just get yeah, yeah,
we just.
Speaker 7 (31:26):
Were ready for the construction to be over right right.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I love that you're always thinking ahead though, you know
that maybe that's something that we could work in because
you know, it helps both sides.
Speaker 6 (31:35):
Yeah, and we do offer transportation to our centers, so
if there's a senior that cannot drive themselves to the center,
all they have to do is give us a call.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
And we can work out transportation and what about I
also think that something like that would be great for caretakers,
like you know, if your mother lives with you or
your father left with you, Yes, and you want to
go shop, you want to say, you know, I'm going
to bring them to the Senior City. So I got
to work for a couple hours.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
You know.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
We actually have a couple of members at our Liberty
site that their children brought them and now they come
on a regular basis and we actually pick them up
with the bus.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
So wonderful, But we need donations to make this happen. Correct,
You can keep building everything you want, but sometimes those
bills are going to come. Doue.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
I know, I'm amazed at the community support that we
do get. Of course, we apply for every grant that
we can apply for, but donations, you know, just even
a monthly donation of twenty five dollars to commit to
that and we can set you up on an auto draft.
Speaker 7 (32:25):
But anything like that helps and goes a long way.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
And let's say I did want to be a volunteer.
How do I do that?
Speaker 7 (32:31):
It's on our website as well.
Speaker 6 (32:32):
You can you can download the application or you can
fill it out online and submit it and then believe
you me, as soon as I get it, we call you.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Does it have to be like, what's your driving record?
Not that I you know, but if you had a
speeding ticket here or there?
Speaker 7 (32:44):
I think it'll be fun.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Okay, yeah, we want to check you now. Outside of
people making donations, like you said, twenty five dollars a month,
I mean that's doable for a lot of people. Oh yeah,
and it makes a difference for your organization, Oh for sure.
But do you have other fundraisers going on?
Speaker 7 (32:58):
We do so like this.
Speaker 6 (33:00):
In May, we have the John Willis Car Show which
will be at Old Market Square and it's May twelfth.
Speaker 7 (33:06):
Do you have it up there?
Speaker 4 (33:07):
Hi?
Speaker 6 (33:07):
I'm second guessing myself. We changed the date a couple
of times, but I think that's.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
The day that happens though. When you plan events right,
everything becomes fluid a bit right, right, right, Yeah, it
looks like it's going to be Saturday, May third from one. Okay,
thank you for checking help, but I can imagine you
have so much on your plate, right, yes, so they
come out, I have explain how this was.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
Okay, So we set up in Old Market Square, which
is right behind Main Street and South First Street.
Speaker 7 (33:35):
It's twenty dollars for the car entry. Anyone can come in.
Speaker 6 (33:39):
We're going to be selling raffle tickets for some pretty
good prizes. So we also have a local civic group
that'll be in there selling burgers and hot dogs, and
all the profit that they make from that they'll be
giving back to Mills on Wills. We'll have auction items
during the car show as well, and we'll have we'll
have judges that'll be walking around and judging the car.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
So if you want to be a part of that,
you go through the John Willis thing, right.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
Yeah, well you can find out the information. There's no
preregistration and there's not going to be a rain date.
I have found that with that particular event it's very
hard to do a rain date. So and the weather
has to be perfect. So everybody cross your fingers and say.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Hey, third sound like gonna be a good day, I
think coming yeah, and Sonny oh perfect, yeah. But so
and so things like that, and I'm sure you know
this is one event you have coming up in May.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
But so you try to get out in the community
and do things. And I know she's gonna a little
tip of the hat to your sponsors at State Farm
and Daniel Crosby Agency.
Speaker 7 (34:36):
Yes, for sure, make it.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
You know, make it happen. I'm sure you again putting
money back in your coffers to help the people.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
And that is another thing. Daniel Crosby's office is great.
They volunteer with us as well, and we have a
lot of businesses within Pickens County that volunteer.
Speaker 7 (34:51):
But if your business is.
Speaker 6 (34:52):
Ever looking to to volunteer and rotate amongst your employees,
we love to have that.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
I think that's a great idea thought about that if
you kind of incentivize your employees, you know, maybe a
paid hour or two that you go out yea and
drive you know, for for meals on wheels, deliver some meals.
Speaker 6 (35:09):
Yeah, And actually we try to keep all of our
volunteer driven routes at right out an hour or less.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Yeah, so you can get in and get it done.
So well, I just think it's uh, you know, Pickens
County is such a giving community though, and it's vast.
You know, it's so funny. I don't know until I
get out there. Sometimes I'll say, oh, Pickens goes out everywhere.
Speaker 7 (35:26):
It really does, it really does.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
You know.
Speaker 6 (35:28):
One of the bad things for us, because our county
is so large, is like up above Highway eleven area,
it is very hard for us to have a volunteer
driven route up that way area. So we've actually been
working with some churches and local folks that live up
that way that come and pick up meals and deliver
them like a week or two weeks.
Speaker 7 (35:46):
Of meals locked up yeah, yeah, and take them to
pick them up there, yeah, because we just can't.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
If you can't get to them, they're certainly gonna get
back out, you know, if they're elderly and hard for them.
Speaker 7 (35:56):
It's a very hard area for us to get to.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Well, you know, I up my sweet little rescue from
the Pickens County Animals Care and I was like, where
is this, you know, because but that's you know, that's
what we love about this part of the country. It
is spread out, but there are people living in those
communities as well, and I'm so grateful that that people
like you and the uh of course the Meals on Wheels.
How long has the program been around?
Speaker 7 (36:17):
I mean that's it's been nineteen eighty one eighty one.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
God bless you, honey, No wonder I mean, if iwers you,
that's a very nervous job because you know, I know,
you feel that you've got to get these people fed
and you got to kind of balance your volunteers and
your donations. Yeah, your events going. Yeah, Well, Kim, is
there anything that as we haven't talked about you'd like
to touch on.
Speaker 6 (36:36):
I just would say, you know, if you're if you
have opportunity to volunteer, give us a test drive.
Speaker 7 (36:41):
We'd love to have you.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
And if you can't volunteer, then consider making a monthly donation.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
And what's that website.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
Www dot PCMOW dot org.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
Or you could just google Yeah, you could use Meals
on Wheels.
Speaker 7 (36:54):
Yeah, Pickens County, Mills on Wheels, Country Meals on Wheel.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
Well, thank you, Kim. We've been talking to Kim Valentine.
She's the executive director for the Pickens County Meals on
Wheels and I'm blas You're worth to these people. Thank you.
Welcome to Carolina Conference Call, a public affairs program produced
by iHeart Radio Green Now. Good morning, I'm Bill Ellis.
Our guest this morning is Laurie Ashley from Meals on
Wheels in Anderson. The great work that they do will
explain and how you can be involved. We'll tell you
first of all, Laurie, and I don't think I've ever
asked you this, but how and why did you get
(00:28):
involved with Meals on Wheels and Anderson Wow.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Well, twenty one years ago I was called and asked
to submit my applications. And I was actually working for
another nonprofit and had not been seeking a job, but
I just love seniors and so the idea of coming
here was enticing to me, and so went through the
process and thankfully received the job.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
And here I am later and doing great work for
all these years. But you were you know, you have
always been kind of a person who wanted to work
in a business where you served others. And there is
no better business than Meals on Wheels in Anderson County.
There's an all song a favorite of mine. It's called
Hello in There, and the line in the song says,
(01:16):
old people just grow lonesome waiting for someone to say
hello in there. Hello, And that's truly what you see
each and every day as someone who not only leads
but also volunteers with meals on wheels and Anderson. Explain
to your neighbors in your fine community why it is
important to volunteer.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Well, we couldn't do it without our volunteers. We serve
six hundred and fifty people a day all across Anderson County,
and we do that mostly with volunteers, So it requires
about seventy people a day to help us deliver. We
have forty five routes that go out all across Anderson County,
so we need those people.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
How many meals each day?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Six hundred and fifty?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
How does that all? First of all, how do you
put all the meals together? I've always wondered that.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Well, we have a kitchen staff that comes in early,
actually probably between five thirty and six thirty in the morning.
They're here getting prepped for the day, and so they
prepare the meals in our kitchen, and then we have
volunteers to come in and pack our trays, and then
by eight thirty the trays are being produced on the
(02:28):
line and the volunteers that work in the outlying areas
are here to pick up and go out and deliver.
I always like to say it's kind of a domino effect.
So the people in outlying areas, you know, Powdersville, Belting,
Honey of Paths, Powdersville, star Iva areas, those folks come
in earlier and pack up multiple routes of meals and
(02:52):
go out and deliver those two someone in the community
who meets them at a certain time that we call
and tells them when they're going to be there, and
then they are the ones that go out and deliver
to the homes in their own communities.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Well, you know what, It almost seems like a relay race,
a daily relay race where somebody hands the baton to
one that hands the baton to another. I had noticed
and you guys had a post on your Facebook page
back on the twenty eighth of March last week where
you were asking for volunteers, people to become volunteers with
Meals and Wheels. We will share that, by the way,
on the Ellis and Bradley Facebook page to get the
(03:24):
word out even further. But exactly what kind of volunteering
do you need? Is it more than just delivering the meals.
What what kind of help are you looking for here?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
We're looking for volunteer for route driver volunteers. We do
have the folks that come in and volunteer on our
packing line. That's usually more occupied than delivering and driving
is people. There's groups of folks that come in and
do our packing line. Now occasionally, you know, well, obviously
we do need some help there as well, but our
(03:56):
biggest need right now is driving and delivering. That's the
thing I mentioned earlier is people can do it in
their own community. So you know, if they live in
the outlying areas of Anderson County, we can work with them.
They could either come here and pick it up, or
we can have it delivered out as I was explaining
earlier to them, and then they can deliver in their
own community. Or we have about twenty routes that are
(04:18):
right here in the downtown Anderson area, so you know,
we can easily probably find a day that fits the
person's schedule as well as a route that fits the
person's schedule.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
The meals are delivered daily Monday through Sunday.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Is it like Monday through Friday?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Monday through Friday, so it's a five day a week
delivery service, and what times of days are these deliveries taking.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Place in the mornings, so usually we ask people to
come in between eight thirty and eleven AM, and that
way the meal is delivered by for a noonday time frame.
You know, our folks get used to the people that
are delivering a little bit early, so they know that,
you know, their meals coming a little bit early, and
they don't mind having that meal early. We've got instructions
(05:03):
on the sheet on the package that tells them if
they don't want to eat it quite yet, how they
can keep form or you know, go ahead and put
in the refrigerator for a while, or whatever they want
to do with that.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
But listen, I've.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Heard from several friends of mine over the years who
have done this work with the meals on wheels, and
maybe you can speak to it as well, because it
is more than just delivering a wonderfully prepared meal to
someone who otherwise probably wouldn't have one, But it's also
about the human touch, is making that connection with that person.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Absolutely. You mentioned the song. We call them a lot
of times, the forgotten generation. You know, people just don't
think about how lonely. It is when you can't get
out and about and do your own thing. But these
people really want to be in their own homes or
they can't afford to go to a nursing home or
something of that sort. So you know we're we're a
(05:58):
lifeline connection to them and that way someone checks on
them and make sure they're okay for the day. It's
a warm smile that comes to their door and just
you know, showing that someone cares.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
I'm telling you, if you're looking, folks, and you live
in the Anderson County area and you're looking to get
involved in your community in a real meaningful way, I
just know that if you were to become a volunteer
delivery driver for Meals on Wheels of Anderson, you would
be hooked on it after your first week because you
realize you're doing something extraordinarily valuable. You're always asking yourself,
(06:33):
probably how can I make this world a better place.
It's one giving heart at a time. And if you
were that individual who stepped up right now and reached
out to Meals on Wheels of Anderson and said, yeah,
I've got some time in the morning hours where I
can make that delivery you do that for one week
and you start make a connection with those people you're
delivering to. Believe me, you'll feel wonderful for doing it.
(06:56):
People want to volunteer, you know this. People really want
to help. They just want to make sure that the
work that they're doing matters. And when you work with
Meals on Wheels as a volunteer, you matter.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You're exactly right, And I do want to stress that
we fit people into a schedule that they want to
fit into. So it's not like saying we need you
every day of the week, or we need you every
week of the month. You know, if you have some
time to give a certain day of the month or
a couple of times a month. It's always where we
(07:28):
are always fitting people into to what their needs can
what they can give us. You know, have folks that
go on vacation for a month at a time, or
you know, something like that. So we're always looking for
people to sit into where the schedule work for them.
It's not like we say it's mandatory, you do.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
It this way.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I understand use how how to do it.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
I am sure you're grateful for any volunteers that would
step up, and I'm a chill looking at your spreadsheets
set up that you've got. This is really the infrastructure
that you've set up and makes it very easy for
someone to commit to be an involved because it tells
you specifically, here's a route, let's say Whitehall Road west
North Avenue, we need a driver like the particular day
here and this time and all that. Guys, it's not
(08:12):
that hard to get involved with Meals on Wheels and Anderson.
And like I said repeatedly here, once you do it,
you will be hooked and you will tell your friends
this is a wonderful thing to do. Is bringing food
to the doorstep of someone who needs your love and attention.
A wonderful organization, no wonder you've been with them for
so long.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I enjoy it every day now.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Again, just tell folks maybe the best ways to reach
out to you. And I always find that social media
is a wonderful window into the work that people do
and thankfully Meals on Wheels Anderson. If you look them
up and friend them on Facebook as we have, you'll
see that they do a wonderful job communicating with the
community to let folks know what they're doing almost on
a daily basis. So that's one good way to get involved.
(08:55):
How else should we reach you, Laurie.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
We have a website Meals on Wheels Anderson, or they
can give us a phone call eight six four two
two five six eight zero zero, or they can come by.
We love to say come see us. We love to
show how the process works. So if anyone is interested
in seeing that in the morning hours, we would be
glad to walk them through the process and show them
(09:18):
how everything works.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Here and where are you located, Laurie, One.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
One five South Fance Street here in Anderson.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Fantastic and the fabulous Electric city. Well, let me just
say they were very lucky to have you in a
role of leadership because I know you do this as
a as a calling and you've served this community well.
And anyone who's already volunteered with Meals and Wheels Anderson,
thank you so very much for making your community better
and stronger and filling the hearts of a lot of
people who really do need your love and attention. And
(09:46):
if you are a potential volunteer, perhaps this discussion we've
had with Laurie will prompt you to reach out to
Meals on Wheels Anderson and do it. Do it once.
Promise you you'll be hooked. Laurie, thank you for being
on Carolina Conference.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Good morning, and welcome to Carolina Conference. Called with me
this morning is Katrina Carlyle. Now she's executive director of
Meals on Wills Greenville. Good morning, Katrina, good morning. How
are you wonderful? Wonderful now with you? How long have
you been, first of all with Meals on Wheels Greenville.
I'm in my fifteenth year, fifte Well that's why I'm
the executive director. Hone, you worked your way up there.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
I like, which is you know, I think about it.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
It's been an amazing fifteen years with a wonderful organization.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
It's really been great to I still really enjoy walking
in the door. It's a livery day.
Speaker 5 (10:37):
I think it's from our great staff, to our wonderful
volunteers and people that are involved.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
We just are so.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
Fortunate to have what the community supports us in generosity.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Right over the years, I mean fifteen years from day
one when you walked in the door. Now when you
go in today and walk through the doors, what will
be different than it was fifteen years ago?
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Do you think, oh gosh, great question.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
I think fifteen years ago where we were organizationally is
really looking at what's coming, right, the Silver Tsunami, so
many more baby boomers retiring or needing our services, and
so we were really at a place to make sure
organizationally we were ready for that. And you know it
was coming, right, We knew it was coming, and so
(11:22):
how do we make sure we're prepared? I would say
right now we are really thinking very strategic and about
the future. Whatnot only does meals on wheels need to
be doing for our clients, which are the most important
homebounding seniors in Greenville County, but also we're starting to
take more of a lead role in our community with
(11:43):
regard to food insecurity advocating. So I think we're thinking
bigger picture. Yeah, what more can we do now? If
I had to really kind of pinpoint.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Out, that's funny because you being the executive director, I
guess you never really live in the present. You're always
five or six years ahead, you know, when you're thinking strategic,
when you're thinking about plans, you know, and that's good
because now, like you said, especially now, you know, because
economy is crazy, you know, you never not know what
to expect. So here you are going to make sure
that people at least, you know, the most decent thing
(12:13):
we can do is feed our neighbor.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
You know, that's it.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
And so many of our neighbors for whatever reason, need
either our help or Greenville so fortunate to have great
agencies that deal with food and security or housing and
just to make sure the access to good nutritious food
is there.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Now, if someone will I guess volunteers, you say, you're
wonderful volunteers. That's probably a huge part of your organization.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
We do.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
We we have one hundred and forty five or forty
six routes that are delivered every Monday.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Wednesday, Friday, money Wisy Friday.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
And so then we also use volunteers to package our meals.
So every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, we need a minimum one
hundred and fifty volunteers.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Do you ever fall short? We do.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
You know, it's it's tough. We know life is busy.
Speaker 5 (13:01):
Sure people are both working in the household, people are
taking care of their parents because whatever that is. So
we just try and reach out to the community in
different ways. We do a weekly orientation every Thursday at
nine thirty on zoom. So we try and make it
easy for those to come learn about how they could help.
(13:21):
We try and make the volunteer experience.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Easy for sure. Sure you know, and you know we
know about the delivery. And by the way, not to
skate over that a little bit, but the people that
go and knock on the door and say have your
meal with me, I'm assuming they're doing more than just
going handing them the meal then maybe looking to see
if they're speech is slurred or maybe they don't look
as healthy as they did the other day.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Is that they are.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
Yeah, they're really the lifeline between us and our client.
The meal, we know is so important from a nutrition standpoint,
but that personal connection that the volunteers provide it what
we talk about is feeding the soul of the client.
And when they deliver that meal, they're looking, you know,
how are they compared to the last time they saw them,
and if there's a change in condition. Our volunteers are
(14:06):
so caring they let us know and say, hey, you
may want to check up on message.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Oh good, good, and like said, very important because you
you know, we've seen it in the news. There's horrible
stories where some may may have passed and day. We're
a loan for two weeks before some realize okay, you know,
so the meals and we'll see somebody's knocking on a
senior's door, somebody who cannot leave the home. So important
that you all do that when someone is delivering the
meals or is it a team where they go to
themselves or how does that work?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
We really want people to go in teams.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
Okay from a safety aspect and to make the process quicker.
One can be the navigator, one can be the runner
of the meals, but really from a safety standpoint, we say,
you know what, get a buddy, go deliver. We have
a lot of corporate route partners that are businesses in
Greenville that allow their staff to deliver and so a
(14:50):
lot of them use it as a team building.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Individuals that maybe don't work together as much on a
day to day basis. So it really while it's for
our claw or volunteers say they get so much more
out of it.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Well I can imagine. I can imagine now if somebody
wanted to volunteer, but they didn't really they don't like driving,
or they don't want they're not great with people. Is
there anything else that they can do. They can come
in and package meals. That's an hour and a half.
We do that five days a week.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
We need volunteers in the lobby to help.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
We do a drive through system, so volunteers pick up
their meals, so we need help with those. We have
volunteers that help us with some office work, maybe writing
some notes, doing putting new client packets together.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
So whatever your skill is, you'll find a place.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
We'll find a place.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Yeah, yeah, you're not for us, And I'm going to
imagine donations make you grow. You know, money we all, oh,
don't talk about money, but well money we.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Need, yeah, donations. Our hot meal program is supported one
hundred percent through private donation, okay, and then we have
other programs that are supported through grants. We did some
we're a food vendor for some other agencies that provide
some other revenues. So we really try and look at
(16:07):
how are we bringing the funding in and making sure
it's diversified, especially when we look at the economic client
currently right, right, they're different trends. We want to make
sure that we're not impacted where the service that we're.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Giving our clients is impacted. Right.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Oh, and it hasn't been thankful, well, good good, And
we say we always call this, you know, whistle. We
always called this, you know, the heart of the Upstate.
And and I always think about we are so fortunate
to where we live because there are a lot of
people that give, and they donate, whether it's cash or
their time. You know, whenever we ask stations, they always
seem to always step up.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
They do, I think, I think Hurricane Alene is a
great example. I mean it was something that our community
had never seen before.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
No, no, and we.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
And that answered the call for not just meals for
our clients, but others in the community. That following week,
we did over seventy five hundred extra meals.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Why was that just people can't get out of their homes.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
We we can't get out.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
A lot of places didn't have power, and so we
were serving those that just needed a hot meal, right
And that the community really stepped up to help pay
for those extra meals that we did.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
And that just doesn't happen, you know in your community.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
I mean we were talking about you working so far ahead,
but who can prepare for hurricane in the upstate of
South Carolina. I mean that one no what so you
just have to make it work and we are prepared.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
Thankfully we have a generator of our building, so we
did not lose power, okay, but no one would have
ever thought the devastation we would have seen.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
No, No, it was terrible. You know. And you have
events that raise money. Do you have some events that
come up or how do you all?
Speaker 4 (17:43):
We do?
Speaker 5 (17:43):
We have events during the year. We just had our
Sweet Art Charity Ball, which is a black tie event,
a fun night to get dressed up.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Love that.
Speaker 5 (17:51):
We have a golf event in the fall. We have
a wonderful young professional group that has over one hundred
members that does a lot of differ fundraising.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
They do a fallse social.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
And let me just interrupt there because as a as
someone who didn'tet married till she was later in life,
I'm thinking, ooh, nice place to be a man or
a woman. You know, it's I mean social gather yeah yeah,
self back in the day.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
And they do different things happy hours, yeah, doing something
at Kendri Scott this weekend. So we just have a
lot of different people advocating and raising money on our right.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Well, I think that's what and so you know, if
we wanted more information with your events and things, and
if I wanted to make a donation, I'm assuming as
your website.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
The best place to go is our website, Yes on
wheels Greenville dot org. It has everything that we're doing.
We're actually building a new facility. Oh tell me about that.
We we've been in our current facility over thirty five years.
We've just outgrown it. No at our capacity to do
more meals just in there. And so three or four
(18:52):
years ago when we talked about looking ahead, we talked
our board, our leadership, our staff, you know, what do
we what do we want to do, what do we
need to do, and what's our barrier? And what came
off is our facility And so we're really excited. We're
just about a mile and a half from our current facility,
perfect at a Gus road in eighty five and this
new facility will allow us to add new programs and
(19:16):
at some point be able to trip our meal production
if needed.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
And of course the needle just continue to grow, like
as the boomers and everybody start to.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
Greenville County is growing at such a great too, right,
we want to make sure that we're prepared like we were.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
You know, fifteen years ago.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
And that's where your brain comes in, Katrina, thinking I
need to think we had to do this, you need
to do that. I think that's wonderful and you brought
us something and I just want to hit on this quickly.
If it's a business owner's listening or manager's listening, if
they wanted to find out about how you work, like
let their employees take a couple of hours here to
deliver meals or how does that work? Or could they
contact you.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Or what they can go through the website.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
Okay, look at the volunteer there's information about our corporate
route program. Okay, good and our director of Volunteer Services,
Muriel Taylor, is the contact and we come out and
talk to your group, do orientation. There's a mobile app
for meal delivery, so it's really easy. Nice and we
just you know, I think right now we probably have
close to one hundred groups.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Oh and a lot of times I know, you know
here with iHeart. You know, they encourage us to get
out and work in the community, and I know a
lot of people want their people to do that, and
this would be a nice organized team building way, as
you said, to do that.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Meal packaging is a great team building. It's ten people
on the line, it's an hour and a half to
maybe two hours, and you were doing the meals that
are going out that day.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
It almost reminds you like my Grandmo and them cannon beans,
sitting around simply and just getting you know, getting everything done.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Well.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I think you all are doing fantastic work. And what
if somebody wanted to refer how do we Let's say
I knew of an older person in my neighborhood that
says uh or talk to their family. I have somebody
in my family. How's that work?
Speaker 5 (20:55):
They can go to the website, okay, but if they
just want to call and talk through that, it's the
first step into getting someone on our service. I'm referred
by a physician, social service agency, faith based.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
Community, another nonprofit.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Right, but then we have if you're over a certain age,
someone can just call and make the referral themselves, because
we know for some people it's challenging to get to
the doctor, get to other places that can start that
referral product.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Right right, Well, again, what you're all doing a fantastic things.
Is there anything we haven't talked about you want to try?
This is your time. I want to make sure we
get what's happening at Will's Meals on wheels Greenville out.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
I think we've talked.
Speaker 5 (21:32):
I mean obviously volunteers, yeah, any we always need volunteers, okay,
and so if you're interested, please just reach out.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
We'd love to share about it.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
The financial donations help us keep going right and make
sure it keeps us. We don't have a waiting list,
and our meals are free of charge.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
We don't have a waiting list.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
We do not, so Greenville County is really fortunate. We
have just committed we we don't want there to be
a waiting list right right, and so some of our
partner in some of the other counties have that, and
we just know that people need the service and so
we want to keep that going well.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
I think this fantasic, fantastic. And you know, always say
in the South, if you love it, you feed it,
you know, and we love food in the South, Honemy.
One thing you do is is if somebody's hungry, we're
gonna make sure you get fed well.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
And I'll say, one thing we didn't talk about is
the meals. Oh yeah, we are really proud of our meals.
We have an amazing kitchen team that really takes pride
and especially over the last year year and a half,
the clients have loved the meals we're doing. We work
on a twenty one day meal cycle, so the meal
(22:39):
they get today is not the same for another twenty
one day.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Give me example, what has been served last.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
So we just got this wonderful email. It was chicken
the Brussels sprout.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
She loved.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Every meal has a protein, a starch, of vegetable and
a fruit. Oh wonderful, and she You know, they just
rave about what's being done now. And so we're really
proud of that because many of our clients just could
be the only hot meal right get until we want
them to eat it. They're taking medications, they could be
recovering from being ill, so it's really important they eat
(23:12):
the meal.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Thick on their tummy that they won't get sick with
their medication. I mean, see, this is why you're a
executive director and I don't even work there, because you
are so smart to think about things like that that
let us lay people don't realize that that's important. You
know that they get that hot meal. We know that's important,
but you know to tie it into their medications and
make sure it's the health get the balanced meal like that.
If you want to make a donation, if you want
to become a volunteer, if you want to foind out
(23:34):
how your corporation can become a volunteer and start cannon beans,
as I like to say. But plaiting up those meals
because they're really going to go to someone who needs it.
Perhaps they don't have any family left, just perhaps family
can't you know, they work, they can't get there in
the middle of the day. Just check out in their
website is I'll let you do the.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Website Meals are on Wheels Greenbull dot org.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
Meals on Wheel dream bult dot org. Thank you so
thank you for having me. Oh we've been talking to
Katrina Carlos. She's the executive sure of Meals on Wheels Greenville.
Thank you for joining us. Good morning, Welcome to Carolina.
Conference call with me this morning is Kim Valentine. Kim
is the executive director of Pickens County Meals on Wheels.
(24:14):
Welcome to our show. Thank you so much. Well, you
know what you do is just amazing. I think we
all know about Meals on Wheels. You know, but it
goes beyond just because you think, oh, yeah, they take food,
they give it to people so much more than that,
I'm going to assume.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Yes, it is so delivering a meal, you're actually meeting
someone that it's possibly the only person that they see
all day. So it's important to have that interaction with
those folks who live alone.
Speaker 7 (24:38):
They look forward to it and believe it or not,
our volunteers say.
Speaker 6 (24:41):
It's just as rewarding as it is for the.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
Recipient, right because, like I said, we may be the
only people that see them. So if there is some
sort of health crisis that they're going through, if there
is something they don't look right, they're flowing their words
or something, you're able to get them the medical health
that they need.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
Yes, So the procedure is once they arrive at the house,
if they find that that person has some kind of
different attitude or look, or if they're struggling or anything
like that, they are to call our office and then
we reach out to either Sometimes a lot of times
we've done emergency services calls, but most of the time
we do call out to their emergency contacts to let
(25:19):
them know what's going on so that they can follow
up with them, and of course we do circle back
the next few days just to check back.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
I was gonna ask you that. So you there obviously
to get people registered. Is that part of the information
is you want you want to know some relatives or
close knit friends, like you say emergency contact.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
So the application process is on our on our website
and they complete that themselves. There is a portion of
that they tell us who they would like for us
to contact first and second person as far as if
they needed to be taken to the.
Speaker 7 (25:49):
Doctor or whatever or right, because somebody's.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Gonna have to fine offer, somebody's gonna have to say
it's okay or you know something correct. Yes. Is the
need great in Pickens County for something?
Speaker 6 (25:58):
Oh my gosh. We receive application every day. It's very overwhelming.
I really try not to stress too much about it
because it all works out and we eventually get them
on the program. But right now the need is greater
than it ever has before. I think we have about
one hundred and twenty one hundred and seventy five people
on the weight list right now.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
On the weight list, not even that you're helping on
the w Yeah.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Yeah, so we have we have, sorry, we have twenty
six routes within the county and then three of the
three additional higher driver routes. So the twenty six routes
are all volunteer driven. So in order for us to
add those people to the program, we would actually have
to create new routes and recruit new volunteers for that.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Oh that's crazy. And so you're talking about the volunteers,
what is it kind of commitment because you know you'd
love the I'm sure you love to add those twenty
six routes. And what kind of commitment does it take
so to be a volunteer? We really you know, years
ago people would volunteer once a week.
Speaker 6 (26:54):
Everybody's so busy. Now we accommodate anything. We tell our volunteers.
You know, if you can deliver once a month, twice
a month, right, every two weeks or once a week,
we're we're happy to get anybody.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Right. Do you think it's because we have the baby
boomers are starting to age out? You know, because that's
kind of a lot. You have the bottom of it
and the top of the baby boomers. Are they starting
to age.
Speaker 7 (27:14):
Yeah, so definitely.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
So we've lost a lot of really good drivers that
have been with us for years. We actually have probably
I would say about three or four people that have
been with our program for over twenty five years.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Yeah, as clients are volunteers, volunteers, volunteers. Do you see that?
Do you see a lot of times it's the older
people who are mobile?
Speaker 7 (27:33):
And oh for sure, for sure.
Speaker 6 (27:35):
So the majority of our volunteers are age I would
say fifty five and up.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Yeah, because you know we are heading that way or
we're grateful maybe grateful that you are still mobile and
able to drive.
Speaker 6 (27:46):
A lot of people who were you know, who've been
in the workforce for all their life and they want.
Speaker 7 (27:50):
To give back when they retire.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
So yes, and and for purpose too. Yeah, well don't
get out of bed this morning. I'm gonna help somebody.
We'll be somebody can to themselves. Now we're trying about
volunteering too. So I just think you need drivers, But
does it go beyond that.
Speaker 6 (28:04):
Yes, so volunteering. We also have volunteers in our kitchen.
We have volunteers that come in at our senior centers
and call BINGO.
Speaker 7 (28:11):
They help with parties.
Speaker 6 (28:13):
We have people that just come in and pick up
meals and transport those meals to drivers because we have
different pickup areas for volunteers throughout the county. And we
always tell people if you can't volunteer or think about donating,
I mean, right, we always need donations.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Well, yeah, and I'm sure there's somewhere on your website
if somebody did want to go and donate.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
Oh yeah, there's a section on the website you can
donate straight from our Facebook page.
Speaker 7 (28:38):
You can actually have VEMO.
Speaker 6 (28:41):
I need to add that onto our website, right, yeah, Well,
somebody wants that VMO, I'm sure they can send you.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
I guess I see your email up here on the website.
Speaker 7 (28:48):
They can send me an email and I'll be happy
to send that.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
To get that VENO information to them.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
Right.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
So, but now the volunteers that do you have, they
explain it to me. I'm a little lost. So I
just assume there's one place everybody cooks and one place
everybody but you have satellite.
Speaker 6 (29:01):
So our home office site is the mckisicks Center in
downtown Liberty. It's a former school. It used to be
a high school years and years ago, and then I
think it was a middle school and then elementary school.
So that was refurbished in twenty fifteen and we opened
up our one, our first senior center at that location
(29:21):
as well. So downstairs is the Senior center and then
upstairs is the dining room and kitchen, and in that
kitchen is where we cook all of our meals for
our home delivered meal program, and we cook all of
our food for our congregate sites.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
Well, I did not know you had senior centers. That's
something you give me.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
How did that work?
Speaker 6 (29:38):
So we opened a senior center in Liberty and that
was our first one, and so we have probably about
twenty five to thirty members that come each day. It
runs from eight thirty to two thirty. We offer socialization
in the morning with coffee and snacks. We have exercise
at nine we do bingo, of course the bingo, and
(30:00):
then they play a game of left right center dice
game after that, and then they go upstairs for lunch.
We have a group of people that stay and they'll
either shoot pool or play cards. And then our central location,
which is over by the Clemson Central Recreation Center, they
are a lot more active over there. They do a
lot more cornhole and.
Speaker 7 (30:21):
Rain toss, but it's basically the same concept. We offer
exercise in dining.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Now that's got to keep people sharp too, you know,
because you're your brain and soulssation things like that. So, now,
does somebody have to register to be there? Can they
just drop in at the Senior Center.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
They can drop in at any time. We do have
an application process. To be a member is twenty five
dollars and for a couple it's thirty five dollars. And
we do take the folks. We do joint ventures with
the senior centers. We take them to We've gone to
the Skytop Orchard, to Tooga Bell Farms and we charter
a big bus, so a lot of folks go on that.
(30:58):
We're getting ready to open a third senior center and
easily at the old y MCA building. That building on
Burns Road is going to be refurbished. It's going to
have a child development center on the outskirts and on
the inside section we'll have our senior center.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
What a fun mix though, right, Yeah, So.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
We're hoping eventually we can work out some type of
intergenerational programming. Yeah, sure, so we're happy to explore that.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
But it's all new right now, let's just get yeah, yeah,
we just.
Speaker 7 (31:26):
Were ready for the construction to be over right right.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
I love that you're always thinking ahead though, you know
that maybe that's something that we could work in because
you know, it helps both sides.
Speaker 6 (31:35):
Yeah, and we do offer transportation to our centers, so
if there's a senior that cannot drive themselves to the center,
all they have to do is give us a call.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
And we can work out transportation and what about I
also think that something like that would be great for caretakers,
like you know, if your mother lives with you or
your father left with you, Yes, and you want to
go shop, you want to say, you know, I'm going
to bring them to the Senior City. So I got
to work for a couple hours.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
You know.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
We actually have a couple of members at our Liberty
site that their children brought them and now they come
on a regular basis and we actually pick them up
with the bus.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
So wonderful, But we need donations to make this happen. Correct,
You can keep building everything you want, but sometimes those
bills are going to come. Doue.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
I know, I'm amazed at the community support that we
do get. Of course, we apply for every grant that
we can apply for, but donations, you know, just even
a monthly donation of twenty five dollars to commit to
that and we can set you up on an auto draft.
Speaker 7 (32:25):
But anything like that helps and goes a long way.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
And let's say I did want to be a volunteer.
How do I do that?
Speaker 7 (32:31):
It's on our website as well.
Speaker 6 (32:32):
You can you can download the application or you can
fill it out online and submit it and then believe
you me, as soon as I get it, we call you.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Does it have to be like, what's your driving record?
Not that I you know, but if you had a
speeding ticket here or there?
Speaker 7 (32:44):
I think it'll be fun.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Okay, yeah, we want to check you now. Outside of
people making donations, like you said, twenty five dollars a month,
I mean that's doable for a lot of people. Oh yeah,
and it makes a difference for your organization, Oh for sure.
But do you have other fundraisers going on?
Speaker 7 (32:58):
We do so like this.
Speaker 6 (33:00):
In May, we have the John Willis Car Show which
will be at Old Market Square and it's May twelfth.
Speaker 7 (33:06):
Do you have it up there?
Speaker 4 (33:07):
Hi?
Speaker 6 (33:07):
I'm second guessing myself. We changed the date a couple
of times, but I think that's.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
The day that happens though. When you plan events right,
everything becomes fluid a bit right, right, right, Yeah, it
looks like it's going to be Saturday, May third from one. Okay,
thank you for checking help, but I can imagine you
have so much on your plate, right, yes, so they
come out, I have explain how this was.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
Okay, So we set up in Old Market Square, which
is right behind Main Street and South First Street.
Speaker 7 (33:35):
It's twenty dollars for the car entry. Anyone can come in.
Speaker 6 (33:39):
We're going to be selling raffle tickets for some pretty
good prizes. So we also have a local civic group
that'll be in there selling burgers and hot dogs, and
all the profit that they make from that they'll be
giving back to Mills on Wills. We'll have auction items
during the car show as well, and we'll have we'll
have judges that'll be walking around and judging the car.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
So if you want to be a part of that,
you go through the John Willis thing, right.
Speaker 6 (34:03):
Yeah, well you can find out the information. There's no
preregistration and there's not going to be a rain date.
I have found that with that particular event it's very
hard to do a rain date. So and the weather
has to be perfect. So everybody cross your fingers and say.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Hey, third sound like gonna be a good day, I
think coming yeah, and Sonny oh perfect, yeah. But so
and so things like that, and I'm sure you know
this is one event you have coming up in May.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
But so you try to get out in the community
and do things. And I know she's gonna a little
tip of the hat to your sponsors at State Farm
and Daniel Crosby Agency.
Speaker 7 (34:36):
Yes, for sure, make it.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
You know, make it happen. I'm sure you again putting
money back in your coffers to help the people.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
And that is another thing. Daniel Crosby's office is great.
They volunteer with us as well, and we have a
lot of businesses within Pickens County that volunteer.
Speaker 7 (34:51):
But if your business is.
Speaker 6 (34:52):
Ever looking to to volunteer and rotate amongst your employees,
we love to have that.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
I think that's a great idea thought about that if
you kind of incentivize your employees, you know, maybe a
paid hour or two that you go out yea and
drive you know, for for meals on wheels, deliver some meals.
Speaker 6 (35:09):
Yeah, And actually we try to keep all of our
volunteer driven routes at right out an hour or less.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Yeah, so you can get in and get it done.
So well, I just think it's uh, you know, Pickens
County is such a giving community though, and it's vast.
You know, it's so funny. I don't know until I
get out there. Sometimes I'll say, oh, Pickens goes out everywhere.
Speaker 7 (35:26):
It really does, it really does.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
You know.
Speaker 6 (35:28):
One of the bad things for us, because our county
is so large, is like up above Highway eleven area,
it is very hard for us to have a volunteer
driven route up that way area. So we've actually been
working with some churches and local folks that live up
that way that come and pick up meals and deliver
them like a week or two weeks.
Speaker 7 (35:46):
Of meals locked up yeah, yeah, and take them to
pick them up there, yeah, because we just can't.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
If you can't get to them, they're certainly gonna get
back out, you know, if they're elderly and hard for them.
Speaker 7 (35:56):
It's a very hard area for us to get to.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Well, you know, I up my sweet little rescue from
the Pickens County Animals Care and I was like, where
is this, you know, because but that's you know, that's
what we love about this part of the country. It
is spread out, but there are people living in those
communities as well, and I'm so grateful that that people
like you and the uh of course the Meals on Wheels.
How long has the program been around?
Speaker 7 (36:17):
I mean that's it's been nineteen eighty one eighty one.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
God bless you, honey, No wonder I mean, if iwers you,
that's a very nervous job because you know, I know,
you feel that you've got to get these people fed
and you got to kind of balance your volunteers and
your donations. Yeah, your events going. Yeah, Well, Kim, is
there anything that as we haven't talked about you'd like
to touch on.
Speaker 6 (36:36):
I just would say, you know, if you're if you
have opportunity to volunteer, give us a test drive.
Speaker 7 (36:41):
We'd love to have you.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
And if you can't volunteer, then consider making a monthly donation.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
And what's that website.
Speaker 6 (36:48):
Www dot PCMOW dot org.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
Or you could just google Yeah, you could use Meals
on Wheels.
Speaker 7 (36:54):
Yeah, Pickens County, Mills on Wheels, Country Meals on Wheel.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
Well, thank you, Kim. We've been talking to Kim Valentine.
She's the executive director for the Pickens County Meals on
Wheels and I'm blas You're worth to these people. Thank you.
Ellis & Bradley News
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