Beth Cox began volunteering with Meals on Wheels to placate a neighbour who was always asking her to join and almost 34 years later Ms Cox hasn’t stopped.
“I just kept doing it. And I do like doing it,” she said.
“I like going out to talk to the people and meeting with the people and catching up with parents of the kids I went to school with, because I’ve been in this area for a long time. So that is exciting.”
Moe and District Meals on Wheels has been delivering meals to those in need for more than 40 years, however, the organisation is on the hunt for more volunteers as the colder months set in.
“We are after new volunteers, especially in winter because everyone is going away for the winter because we are all old people, or older,” Ms Cox said.
“We deliver five days a week and we deliver frozen meals for the weekend, on the Friday or the previous days before public holidays.
“Our meals are made up at the Latrobe Valley hostel up in Ollerton Avenue, then a taxi brings them down here in Eskys and we come along here and collect our particular run and deliver, which takes, depending on how long we talk, about an hour.”
Volunteer coordinator Kathy Holroyd said volunteers would generally commit to help out once a week or once a fortnight.
“But at the moment people are having to do a bit more than they normally would. We still have to send out the meals – rain, hail or shine,” she said.
“I have six different runs that I have to fill each day.”
Jill Williams said volunteering with Moe and District Meals on Wheels was very rewarding.
“Everybody is always pleased to see you. You get quite a lot out of it,” she said.
“I’ve been doing it a long time. It is nice to visit the people and go out, have a bit of a chat.
“They do look forward to do it. Some will just take [the meal] at the door but the majority will invite you in.”
For more information or to volunteer with Meals on Wheels in the Moe/Newborough area phone 5127 6906.
