Meals service volunteers thinning out

RAIN, hail or shine, a small group of volunteers is keeping meals-on-wheels on the road in Healesville.
Dot Harsant, 81, and sister Bev Penrose, a mere 72 years young, have been delivering meals as part of the service for more than 20 years.
Jenni Conquest is a relative newcomer to the team.
The trouble is, they are part of a diminishing resource.
In the lead-up to National Volunteer Week (12 to 18 May), the Shire of Yarra Ranges last week put out a call for people to join their 200 Meals On Wheels volunteers across the shire.
“Volunteers are the life-blood of the service,” said David Edwards, the shire’s new Food Services coordinator.
Mr Edwards said the relatively small band of willing helpers did a fantastic job delivering thousands of meals each year.
In Healesville, close to 7400 meals are delivered each year. The total across the shire is 51,384.
“Some of those meals are delivered to individual homes, others are delivered to places like The Golden Wattle Club where they are enjoyed in a social setting,” Mr Edwards said.
“Some of our customers don’t see a lot of folk during the day and Meals on Wheels provides a vital service for two reasons, providing regular nutritional meals and providing regular community contact.”
Mr Edwards said the amount of time people can volunteer is up to each individual.
“Some will work once a week, others do a run every two weeks. If people feel they can only do an hour a fortnight it can make a tremendous difference,” he said.
The shire provides remuneration for petrol, to ensure volunteers are not out of pocket.
Mrs Harsant said working as a team, first with husband Les, who is still on the books as an emergency, and for the past nine years with her sister, is fun.
“Bev drives and we share the running. We’ll keep doing it for as long as we’re capable.”
For more information about becoming a Meals On Wheels volunteer phone Mr Edwards on 9294 6461.