Airdrie Meals on Wheels celebrated 35 years of uninterrupted service with a volunteer appreciation lunch at Woodside Golf Course May 2. To commemorate the milestone, the City of Airdrie declared May 2 Airdrie Meals on Wheels Day at its April 16 meeting.
Past president Trudy Eyre has been part of the organization for 15 years.
“I’m just thrilled that we made it this far, and hopefully, we’ll make it another 35 years,” she said.
Meals on Wheels delivers meals to injured, elderly or disabled individuals that may experience difficulty preparing their own. Eyre said the first Airdrie meals were delivered in 1983.
“There were a few nurses that saw the need,” she said. “They were working at a care centre here in Airdrie and they started the organization. On the first day, they delivered six meals.”
The organization has grown significantly since then. In 2010, Eyre said, Airdrie Meals on Wheels delivered 2,173 meals to 37 clients.
“Seven years later, in 2017, we delivered 5,175 meals to 81 clients,” she said.
According to the group’s website, volunteers have contributed more than 213 delivery hours, driven 2,559 kilometres and delivered 1,218 meals so far this year. Each meal is prepared at The Hamlets at Cedarwood Station.
“We have absolutely tremendous, reliable volunteers that enable us to continue service with the numbers going up,” Eyre said.
That volunteer force was recognized at the May 2 lunch, which was also attended by some members of City council. The lunch – themed “Because of you, because of me” – featured speeches and door prizes.
Eyre said the growth of the program points to a need in Airdrie.
“With the numbers that we have, I think the impact is pretty great, where the need is needed,” she said.
Eyre also said the organization is looking for more volunteers as it continues to grow. The volunteer force is currently stretched to the limits, sometimes delivering more than 40 meals a day.
“Because our numbers are growing so quickly, and the city is growing as well, we’ve had to quarter off the city so they’re not driving from Morningside to Thorburn,” Eyre said.
More drivers would mean shorter routes for current volunteers. Anyone interested can call 403-815-1400 or go to airdriemealsonwheels.ca for more information.
