CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF MEALS ON WHEELS

Meals on Wheels is celebrating 60 years of delivering meals in Orange.

The first meals were delivered in Orange on 10 June 1963 and its ongoing service has been made possible by hundreds of volunteers. A morning tea will be held to thank the current volunteers who are involved in the program, which is part of Orange City Council’s Choices at Home service.

Orange City Council Services Committee Chair, Cr Mel McDonell has congratulated the volunteer teams who deliver meals in Orange.

“Choices at Home has about 80 volunteers doing an amazing job delivering about 450 meals a week, enabling frail older people and people living with disability to maintain their independence at home,” Cr McDonell said.

“But it is much more than just a meal. The program is a fantastic way to prevent loneliness and support people in need. A friendly smile, a chat, a meal and knowing somebody will drop by to say hello, can make all the difference.”

Ninety-four-year-old Edna Sharp has been volunteering with Meals on Wheels since it began in Orange in 1963.

“I’ve been doing Meals on Wheels since it started 60 years ago, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon,” Mrs Sharp said.

“I got into Meals on Wheels through the Uniting Church and, back in the day, I used to take my little baby girl along with me to deliver meals. Now, even my sister and both my daughters are part of the program.”

“I’ve made so many friendships over the years and gathered tonnes of hilarious stories. You know, in the early days, the meals weren’t frozen, so we would dish them up right at the client’s house. Let me tell you, it could get tricky. One time, I had this pot of soup in the back of my car, driving all around Orange, and guess what? The soup decided to make a break for it and spilled everywhere. What a mess!”

Choices at Home offers a range of services to help frail older people or those living with a disability maintain their quality of life while living at home.

Contact Choices at Home on 6393 8968 to find out more about their services, or becoming a volunteer, or visit 144 March Street between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Meals on Wheels NSW is partially subsidised by the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP).