By Jay Ermis
Managing Editor
HUNTSVILLE —
Huntsville Mayor J. Turner helped the Senior Center of Walker County deliver meals to homebound residents Wednesday as part of the nationwide Mayors for Meals Day.
Mayors For Meals is a part of March For Meals that utilizes the involvement of local mayors, who deliver meals on one day in March to show their support of their local senior nutrition program.
It was organized by Meals on Wheels agencies.
Prior to delivering meals to homebound Huntsville residents with Senior Center site manager Claudia Loofs, Turner read a proclamation designating March 24 as Mayors For Meals Day.
March For Meals — an annual national campaign to raise awareness of senior hunger and to encourage action on a local level — takes place in March because it was during this month that the law was enacted that included senior meal programs in the Older Americans Act.
Loofs said volunteers deliver meals as part of the center’s Meals on Wheels program to residents on five of the eight routes the center coves.
In addition, at least 50 senior citizens visit the Senior Center on Monday through Friday to have lunch at noon.
Frank Ivory, the center’s executive director, said the facility is open to residents 60 years and older from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“I consider it an honor to be able to serve these people that have been in our community a long time and so we do this as an annual event to try to bring a little bit of recognition to the program and what an important program it is,” Turner said, “especially for the people we deliver the meals to.
“For some of those people, a person delivering a meal is the only contact they have in their day. I feel very honored to be able to go and visit some of our older residents and share with them a little bit or nourishment.
“I think this is a wonderful program. We want to take good care of our senior citizens.”
Turner said it is important to show senior citizens they have the community’s support.
“I always enjoy doing this,” he said. “I like seeing the smile of the people when you come to their front door. These people are very appreciative of the service we provide.
“As a community what can be more basic that getting together and sharing some meals. I’ve always said community is the most important thing we’ve got. Today we’re going to try to highlight that.”
In his proclamation, Turner said “Meals on Wheels promotes health and supports the choice of independence by preparing and deliver nutritious affordable meals to people in need of our service and by enhancing the community safety net.
“The purpose of this campaign is to help our older adults in our community so that no senior goes hungry and no senior is forgotten.
“I call on our community to support the Meals on Wheels program and the care of all the seniors in our community.”
Ivory said requirements to have meals delivered is that “they have a place to store it and a place to warm it.”
He said hot meals are delivered daily for those who live inside the city limits,.
“For those seniors who live outside the city limits, but within Walker County, five frozen meals are delivered once per week,” he said.
Ivory said approximately 31,000 meals were delivered last year.
