Rotarian Veronica Laureigh said the club decided
to complete a service project in honor of its 100th
Anniversary.
She said she got the idea for the project while
at a zone meeting conducted in Maryland. It was
there that she learned the district governors for
the area were going to California to do a similar
project in honor of the club's anniversary.
"I came back and asked them," Laureigh
said. "They were more than happy to let us
help."
Duties were divided among the Rotarians. Some
were on hand in the morning to help set up the
kitchen and prepare the meals that would be
delivered to the homebound. Some helped serve lunch
to the senior citizens who partake in the nutrition
program in the afternoon.
"They have been a huge help to us,"
Site Manager Dawn Miliukas said. "It gave us an
easy day."
She said club volunteers helped with a variety of
tasks that must be performed each day to run a
nutrition site successfully. They helped package
fruit for the homebound, assisted the drivers with
packing their vans, set the tables, took out the
garbage, washed dishes, date stamped the lids of
homebound meals, packaged bread and helped serve on
the line.
"The list goes on and on," Miliukas
said.
Rotarian Paul Rizzo of Manahawkin, a past
president, said it was the club's first time
volunteering at the Meals on Wheels.
"This is part of our commitment to the
community," Rizzo said.
Rotarian Paul Stephens of Forked River said
although this is the first time the Rotary Club has
worked with Meals on Wheels, the club has been
active working on various projects with the Lacey
Food Bank.
"It is very satisfying to be able to
help," Stephens said.
Rotarian Toms Angona said it is a good cause.
"Most of these people come here for
companionship and to spend time with other
people," Angona said.
Marie Nieto from Holiday City in Berkeley said
she began coming to the nutrition site recently.
"A friend of mine comes here and she told me
about it," Nieto said.
She said after that she started coming.
"The people are friendly and it gets me out
of the house," Nieto said, explaining that her
daughter works the night shift at work and then
sleeps during the day.
Each weekday the nutrition site is open to senior
citizens age 60 and older, Miliukas said. She said
seniors arrive at the site between 9:45 a.m. and
10:30 a.m. each day. Then a hot lunch is served
between 11:10 and 11:15 a.m., Miliukas said.
She said the nutrition site is not just about
good food. There are also activities in which
seniors can participate.
An instructor attends the luncheon Monday and
Thursday, leading armchair exercises, Miliukas said.
She said Wednesday and Friday are both dedicated to
bingo.
"We also try to do crafts with them and even
trivia," Miliukas said. "We do all
different kinds of things."
Miliukas said site participants also get to
attend a monthly party that celebrates all of the
birthdays for the month.
She said each month the Rotary Club donates a
birthday cake for the birthday celebration.
The Meals on Wheels program and senior nutrition
site are funded by Community Services, Inc. of Ocean
County.
If anyone would like more information on how to
volunteer at the site or participate in the program,
they can contact the Lacey Nutrition Site at (609)
693-1333.
