January, 2013 - Lubbock Meals On Wheels

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Everyone Can Make a Difference Thank you to Community Christian Church for their hard work and incredibly generous donation of $6,468 from the Holiday Extravaganza they held in November. Thank you also to Avon and Charla Harrison for holding a fundraiser that raised $145 for our program. Thanks to Hope Lutheran for selling $616 worth of our pecans at their Octoberfest. We appreciate Chick-fil-A for their donation of $123.42 from the Spirit Day held in October. We are thankful for Mark McCall Photography’s donation of $135 and canned food from their Halloween Photo Shoot. Thank you to our friends at Party Plus for donating $500 from their First Annual Halloween Decorating Contest. We are grateful to Industrial Molding for once again raising $2,500 for us through their employee walk. Many thanks goes to Convergys for their $1,500 gift in early December. Thanks also to the South Plains Food Bank for the senior food boxes sent to 350 of our clients. Our gratitude also goes to Home Instead Senior Care and all the individuals who supported the Santa to a Senior project that benefited 267 of our clients. A big thank you goes to Pets Plus for collecting over 1,200 pounds of food and over 100 treat bags for our Pet Program throughout the entire month of December. We appreciate volunteer Nicholas Hernandez of Nicholas Feosh Photography for donating $136 plus 70 cans of food from the 1st Annual Holiday Portrait Gives Back. Thank you also to the Texas Tech Men’s Basketball team for delivering meals in December. Also, thanks to 8th grader Carolyn Benitez who held a month long pet food drive to collect food for our Pet Food Program as her 4H project at Frenship Middle School. We also owe a huge thank you to all of the volunteers who not only delivered the hot meals but all of the extra items for the 12 Days of Christmas, the senior food boxes, and other various donations of gifts and food. These are excellent examples of what small groups of people can accomplish when they work together. If you have a group that would like to make a difference this year, please keep Lubbock Meals on Wheels in mind. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead The twenty-first annual “Feed a Friend – It’s as Easy as Pie” fundraiser was held the week before Thanksgiving, raising a shocking, record breaking $70,395.19! A special thank you to our “pie angel”, Genia Davis, for generously donating to the event once again filling the void left by the passing of our previous pie angel, Donald Finkner. Thank you very much to United Supermarkets, KLBK, KAMC, and Sara Lee for their help in making this fundraiser possible. Congratulations to Adrian Jimenez of Amigos United who won the pie eating contest that kicked off the Easy as Pie event. Thanks to the other contest participants: Mudflap of KLLL, Evan Onstot & Nikki Dee Ray of KLBK, Julie Musgrave of KAMC, Mandy Tomlin, of United Supermarkets, Criminial District Attorney Matt Powell, Jennifer Martinez of Magic 93, entertainer Kenny Maines, and Councilman Todd Klein and to 2 Meals on Wheels Jan 2013 Pies Surprise former champion Greg McAlister of KAMC/ KLBK for working hard keeping an eye on everyone while judging the event. Congratulations to Travis Chaney and his employees at the 50th & Q United for having the largest increase in donations for the event. Finally, thanks to all the radio stations that promoted the fundraiser and to the massive number of volunteers, store checkers, and donors who so generously supported the event. This was the most successful Easy as Pie in our history, and we thank you for making it happen. You can can help Please bring recyclable aluminum cans to Lubbock Meals on Wheels. Regular trips are made to recycle these materials, and the money received provides funds for programs. You can help the environment and Lubbock Meals on Wheels by bringing your aluminum cans to 2304-34th Street during office hours, Monday – Friday, 8a.m.-4:30p.m. help!
This is just a small sample of the many kind thank you cards, letters, and notes that Lubbock Meals on Wheels received during the holidays from our recipients or their family members. We also received numerous phone calls expressing gratitude for all the holiday extras. We would like to share these kind words with all of our donors, volunteers, and the many other people who made the holidays very special for our clients through their gifts for the Twelve Days of Christmas Project, the Santa to a Senior Program, the Senior Food Box delivery, the Weekend Meal Program, the Pet Food Program, and the Hot Meal Program. I appreciate Meals on Wheels’ organization - the office staff, the “Meals on Wheels’ Chefs”, the volunteers who always have a kind word to brighten my day. Thank you. - Sincerely, Lois Attention Meals on Wheels’ Staff, I thank you very much for your thoughtfulness on my birthday. The cake was very tasty. I ate the whole thing by myself! The card was nice also. May God continue to bless you. - Yours sincerely, Lottie To Meals on Wheels’ personnel, I am the daughter of Evelyn who passed away. Evelyn sincerely appreciated all those meals you carefully prepared for her and all the delivery people were so nice and special to her. Her family says “Thank you all so very much for making her life easier,” (for these past few years.) We all appreciate all you’ve done along with all the thoughts and prayers. When I came back from her funeral, my work presented me with a donation which I am sending as a small token – use as needed. My work is the Blood bank at University Hospital, San Antonio, TX, who made this donation. You are all doing a great job. - Janice Your meals are very good, but the one at Thanksgiving was extra good! - ET Dear Friends, I am enclosing a small gift to honor my beloved Frances who passed away in December. Although she was ill all year, we enjoyed the last year of our 67 years together. The staff, volunteers and everyone at Meals on Wheels helped to make that possible. - Thanks so much, Harold Thank you for my meals and the people who bring them. God Bless all of you and Merry Christmas. - Margaret Dear “Meals on Wheels” cooks, helpers and volunteers, Thank you so much for all you do for me. I live alone and am 85 years old – not very well. But you are such a Blessing to me. Thank you for the good food and all the extras and now the 12 days of gifts. I want all of you to know how much I appreciate every one of you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. - God Bless you, Amy On behalf of Lubbock Meals on Wheels’ staff and recipients, thank you very much to all of you who helped make the holidays special for our clients. Volunteer Spotlight This special article will feature one Lubbock Meals on Wheels’ volunteer and will include a photo and information about their volunteer service in their own words. We hope you will enjoy reading about some of our many dedicated volunteers and perhaps their stories will inspire you to volunteer as well! Mike McKaskle Start Date: 12/27/06 Volunteer Duties: deliver meals, senior food box delivery, fundraisers, kitchen, pet food, wash coolers, & any other duties needed! Why did you decide to volunteer My mom and dad delivered Meals on Wheels in Amarillo. I was so warmly greeted and appreciated by each of the clients. Lubbock Meals on Wheels is located just around the corner from my house, and I thought I would like to give back a little. Why do you continue to volunteer It’s unbelievable how your life is touched and vice-versa. I want to be a blessing to others. Volunteering is rewarding and has taught me humility and empathy and not to take today for granted. Most memorable volunteer experience: I deliver to a gal who is paralyzed from the neck down. She and her husband, both in their early 40’s are upbeat, and her husband always gives me a hug. Her husband has to do everything – I mean everything. The house is spotless. She is clean, loved, and beautiful. One week he was not smiling, said she was low on iron and losing blood somewhere. He said caregiving is a 24/7 job for him. He started crying. This is one tough guy and tough looking. I just held him and told him what a good man he is and what a good job he is doing. We were both in tears. Why do you think your volunteer work is important There are so many people in need, and I see no end to it. I wouldn’t feel right receiving if I hadn’t given. What do you want people to know about Lubbock Meals on Wheels United Way does not fund us. It is all by private donations – including feeding their pets which are their family. It only takes a background check and about an hour to deliver a route. The staff at Meals on Wheels cares as much about their crew as the clients. Who knows what you might discover about others and yourself as I have! New Year Brings Changes Thank you to Chris Ritter for serving as Board President in 2012. We look forward to working with Brent Guinn who will serve as Board President in 2013, and our new board members: Gwen Belk, Curry Blackwell, Jacob Kirkland, Kelly Marble, and Arlene Matthews. 2013 Meals on Wheels’ Board of Directors: Brent Guinn, President Chris Ritter, Past President Barry Johnston, Vice President/Treasurer Mandy Tomlin, Secretary Gwen Belk • Curry Blackwell Diana Brink • Jacob Kirkland Kelly Marble • Arlene Matthews Susan McEndree • Teresa McLean Scott Northam • Jamie Thomason Economic and electronic mail With another postage increase upon us, Lubbock Meals on Wheels would like to offer our newsletter via e-mail. If you would prefer to receive our newsletter in a pdf format (Adobe Acrobat) through your e-mail, please call our office at (806) 792-7971 to sign up! Meals on Wheels Jan 2013 3
Page 1: A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF LUBBOCK
Page 5 and 6: a note from the executive director
Page 7 and 8: Houston Pearson • Cheryl Sebastia

January, 2013 - Lubbock Meals On Wheels

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