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National Meals on Wheels Day celebratedLatrobe City Mayor, Councillor Darrell White, Crs Bob Smith and Bruce Lougheed, CEO Paul Buckley and the City’s Executive Team, celebrated National Meals on Wheels Day on Wednesday together with local MPs Brendan Jenkins and Peter Hall. By Latrobe Shire Council - 1st September 2004 - Back to News The Celebration paid tribute to the volunteers who deliver 41,000 meals annually to recipients in Latrobe City, with politicians councillors and City executives taking on the role of delivering the meals to clients.
Latrobe City manages the Meals on Wheels program for Morwell, Traralgon, Churchill, Yallourn North and outlying areas. Meals on Wheels in Moe is managed and operated by Moe Meals on Wheels Inc which is a community based volunteer organisation.
Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Darrell White, said the celebration highlighted the enormous benefits to the community delivered by local volunteers.
"In urban areas, meals are delivered hot five times per week, whereas people living in rural areas receive frozen meals once a week that they heat themselves," Cr White explained.
"Meals on Wheels enable the frail, aged citizens and those with a disability to remain independent in their own homes for longer. Most people prefer to live at home but in many cases they need help to do this."
"Through the Meals on Wheels service, a large number of Latrobe residents enjoy a quality of life that would have to be compromised but for the outstanding contribution made by volunteers who deliver the meals to recipients’ homes," Cr White said.
Cr Bob Smith, said Meals on Wheels had now been delivered in Victoria for more than sixty years.
"Not only is a meal delivered through Meals on Wheels often the highest source of nutritional content for a client in their diet, but volunteers play an integral social role, acting as a daily point of contact for recipients, and serving to decrease social isolation, while assisting in monitoring a client’s health and wellbeing," Cr Smith said.
Cr Lougheed said volunteers were the lifeblood of the Meals on Wheels program. "Without their dedication and commitment to the community, the service simply could not be delivered," Cr Lougheed said.
"This is a pertinent time to not only thank Latrobe City’s Meals on Wheels volunteers, but to call on others in the community to help with this vital work."
Latrobe City’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Buckley, said there is a great deal of teamwork and camaraderie for those involved in delivering Meals on Wheels, and many volunteers frequently point to the satisfaction and enormous pleasure they themselves gain from delivering help to others in the community.
"However, we should never overlook their generosity, but always strive to recruit new volunteers to ease the burden on those readily donating their time and goodwill," Mr Buckley said.
"By nature of the operation, volunteers can determine the amount of time they commit. I urge anyone who can spare an hour once a week or a fortnight to get involved in this very worthwhile community work.
"For those in the corporate field, such as the Executive Team and myself, today is an example of how service to the community can be integrated into a seemingly hectic schedule.
"Corporate volunteers are increasingly becoming involved in delivering Meals on Wheels to the community. It’s an indication that corporations and businesses recognise that they not only have a role to play in delivering their business advantages to the community, but in nurturing a healthier and more empowered community where they do their business," Mr Buckley said.
Those able to provide assistance with Meals on Wheels are asked to contact the Meals on Wheels Team at Latrobe City, telephone 1300 367 700.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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