By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
There is usually a steady flow of volunteers moving in and out of the Meals on Wheels program in Great Bend. Monica Ravenstein, administrative assistant at Volunteers in Action, said there have been fewer new volunteers signing up. Volunteering to deliver meals to homebound seniors can be a good way to give back to the community.
"It is very rewarding," Ravenstein said. "We're not just about making sure they get food, but we're also about checking in on them, making sure they're doing okay - knocking on that door and having that face-to-face contact."
Barton County Meals on Wheels serves approximately 100 clients in Great Bend, Hoisington, and Ellinwood, with some 80 percent of those clients located within Great Bend city limits. Meals, which are prepped by the Great Bend Senior Center, are delivered from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday as long as the Senior Center is open. Volunteers have a lot of freedom to choose when they deliver, and Get Connected volunteer management software makes organization simple.
"Once they've signed up, it gives them all the information," said Ravenstein. "They can click on what things they're interested in, Meals on Wheels being one of those. When something pops up, maybe we need a sub one day because somebody is sick, it will go to their email address and give them that communication."
Meals on Wheels drivers must be 18 years of age and have a valid driver's license. Ride-a-long options may be available to volunteers younger than 18. For more information about volunteering, contact Volunteers in Action at (620) 792-1614.