Letter to the Editor – A Call for Volunteers

New Year’s Resolutions

The New Year is a time of renewal and good intentions.  If your good intentions involve becoming more active in your community, or finding a cause where you can make a real difference, we at Meals on Wheels would like to invite you to check us out.  In a society where family members live so far from one another, the need for our services has never been higher.  Last year our volunteer drivers delivered close to 60 000 meals, almost double the number of meals delivered three short years ago.  We expect the growth to continue, and with the growth comes a continuing need for new drivers.

Our volunteers are remarkably loyal and committed.  They often say that they get far more out of their deliveries than they give. New volunteers are frequently surprised by how little time is required to make a difference, and by how flexible the organization can be in adapting to their schedules.  We are always in need of regular drivers, those who spend an hour or two once a week delivering about a dozen meals in one particular area of the city. We also need substitute drivers who can fill in when the regulars are ill, on vacation or otherwise unavailable. This might involve driving only once or twice a month.

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In addition, we’ve recently initiated an “Adopt-a-Route” program, in which a company, office, or organization (even a group of friends) takes over a regular route, with individual members taking turns delivering.  In this way, people who are normally too busy to get involved with volunteer activities are able to contribute.  The groups who are presently participating in this program find  it a rewarding, team-building activity, as well as a way of promoting positive community relations, and providing a sense of individual fulfillment.

If you’d like to make a difference in the lives of your neighbours, please contact us by calling 458-9482, or check out our website for more info. We’d love to tell you more.

Sincerely,

Joan McDaniel – President, Meals on Wheels of Fredericton

Welcome to our (Mileage) Blog

Welcome!

This is our first blog post, fittingly called Mileage Blog. We will be posting every once in a while to share updates from our organization. We’ve seen a lot of changes in the years leading up to our 50th Anniversary this year, and we are excited to share our growth with you.

Today we had the honour of his Worship, Mike O’Brien, Mayor of the City of Fredericton accompany one of our volunteers on a meal delivery. Mayor O’Brien is no stranger to our program but he took time out of his busy schedule to help deliver meals to a dozen seniors on the North side of the city. We’ve had a handful of city leaders volunteer their time this year during our anniversary celebrations and we’re forever grateful for that.
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We like to think we’re making a difference in our community, one meal at a time.
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for updates.

Sincerely,
The Staff of Meals on Wheels of Fredericton Inc.