'Stark County Delivers' Campaign Seeks Corporate Teams to Volunteer for Meals On Wheels

We're excited that Leadership Stark County (LSC) is partnering with us this month to help recruit businesses and organizations to deliver meals for Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties!

Five members of the current LSC class are spearheading our "Stark County Delivers" campaign during the month of May, helping us spread the word about our corporate Adopt-a-Route program. 

Participating organizations select a route at one of our 20 sites and "adopt" that route for weekly deliveries. Employees sign up and deliver meals on a rotating basis, sharing the responsibilities.

Currently about a dozen organizations are involved, and we're hoping to double that number during the campaign.

It's especially important right now. Volunteers drive more than 60 routes every weekday, and currently there are a number of routes that do not have regular volunteer drivers during the week. The "Stark County Delivers" campaign is designed to address that need with both individual and corporate recruiting.

Most volunteers or volunteer teams serve once a week. Meals are delivered beginning at 11 a.m. weekdays, and most routes take between 60 and 90 minutes to complete.

For many of our clients, our volunteers are the only people they see during the day. It means a lot to receive a friendly greeting each day, and it provides peace of mind for them and their loved ones, knowing that someone is checking in on them each day.

To help spread the word about the campaign and recruit corporate volunteers, five members of the current class of Leadership Stark County comprise the committee that is spearheading the “Stark County Delivers” campaign. They are: Marcie Bragg, Goodwill Industries; Christina Burr, Aultman Hospital; Darla Brown, Gatehouse Media; Jill Dorsey, Alliance Community Hospital; and David Pilati, Plain Local Schools.

“We’re thrilled to be helping Meals On Wheels and excited about reaching out to the business community,” said Dorsey. “Delivering meals to the elderly and homebound is a perfect volunteer opportunity for a business that is looking to make a difference in our community.”

Companies or individuals interested in volunteering with Meals On Wheels should contact Linda Spielman at 330-832-7220.

The Massillon Rotary Club Adopts A Route!

Meal On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties welcomes the Massillon Rotary Club as our newest "Adopt-a-Route" participant! This morning the club began a regular schedule of delivering meals on a Massillon route every other Friday.

Richard Regula (pictured with Linda Spielman, our volunteer coordinator) was the first member to deliver on behalf of the Massillon club. Richard is director of market outreach at Mercy Medical Center in Canton.

Adopting a route is easy, and is a great way for your company or organization to help out in the community. You simply select a route at one of our locations nearest you, and then members of your organization or company sign up to deliver on a rotating basis. The more people who help, the easier it gets!

More important, you'll be making a difference in the lives of our homebound clients. Not only will you deliver food to those in need, but your team members may be the only people some of our clients see during the day. We provide more than a meal -- we offer companionship, compassion, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing someone is checking in on them during the day.

To become an Adopt-a-Route sponsor, contact Linda at 330-832-7220.

Did You Know? Learn About Meals On Wheels Services in This YouTube Video

Here's a brief, one-minute video that explains who we are and what we do at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties.

For home delivery, or to volunteer to deliver meals to your homebound neighbors, call us at 330-832-7220 (or toll-free at 1-800-466-8010).

MOW Volunteer: '...A Lot of Unexpected Benefits to My Experience'

If you've thought about volunteering in the community, consider the experience of Susie, a Meals On Wheels volunteer.

"I always knew I'd enjoy volunteering for Meals On Wheels, but there were a lot of unexpected benefits to my experience," she said.

"The more I got to know the seniors on my delivery route, the more comfortable I felt -- and the more I looked forward to seeing them again. It was as if I'd knocked on my own grandmother's door; she lived alone and would have loved it if someone stopped by to bring a meal and chat. I'm proud to be part of a network of volunteers that provides a much-needed service and builds lasting relationships with seniors in our community."

Susie's experience is featured in a promotional campaign created by the Meals On Wheels Association of America to help raise awareness about the issue of senior hunger in America -- and what meal delivery programs from coast to coast are doing to solve the problem.

Right now there is an urgent need for volunteers in Stark and Wayne counties. Most of our volunteers deliver meals once a week. Deliveries start at 11 a.m. and take between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on the route. We have 21 sites in the two-county area, and we'll match you to a location that is most convenient to where you live or work.

We provide training, step-by-step route directions, and mileage reimbursement. If you'd like to help, call 330-832-7220 -- or click here to complete our online volunteer application.

For many of our clients, Meals On Wheels volunteers are the only people they see during the day. We offer peace of mind for them and their loved ones by checking in on them on a regular basis. Your service as a Meals On Wheels volunteer will brighten their days and make a huge difference in their lives.

Please join us!

Story of Fallen Veteran, Meals On Wheels Volunteer, Gains National Attention

All of us at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties were saddened to learn of the passing of James Catron, a volunteer at our Brewster site. Jim, a decorated Korean War veteran, died on Memorial Day while attempting to replace the U.S. Flag on the TV tower outside of his home in Richville, Ohio.

Jim had used a safety belt to tie himself to the tower as he worked on replacing the flag. Paramedics lowered him to the ground, and it was later determined that he had died of natural causes.

In a touching show of respect, local firefighters later returned to the Catron home to replace the flag. "It was Memorial Day, and he was trying to be patriotic," firefighter Larry Sedlock told a local reporter. "It was the only thing we could do to help out."

The story first appeared in The Independent in Massillon, Ohio, and then was picked up nationally by FoxNews.com and other outlets via an Associated Press report.

Jim, 83, had been a volunteer with Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties for 15 years.

"Jim was very kind-hearted and was the kind of person who would do anything for anybody," said Linda Spielman, volunteer coordinator for Meals On Wheels.

"Not only did he volunteer with us, but he was a family friend going back well over 40 years," said Tom Delamater, public relations administrator for the agency. "He was a kind and gentle soul and will be missed."

We are grateful for his service to Meals On Wheels, and extend our condolences to the Catron family.

The story in The Independent: "Perry veteran dies while changing flag"

The story on FoxNews.com: "Korean War Veteran Dies While Replacing Flag at Ohio Home on Memorial Day"

Television report from WKYC-Ch 3 in Cleveland: "War veteran dies replacing flag"