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Gas prices won't slow Meals' wheels

Wednesday, June 20 at 12:01 AM

By Dianna L. Kunz

Every other Friday, I arrive at Josephine’s front door with a hot meal — maybe meatloaf, maybe lemon pepper fish, maybe barbecued chicken. After opening the various locks securing her door, she invites me in, takes the meal and immediately sets it aside. She really just wants to talk. Josephine talks about her family — some she is at odds with, others fill her with pride. I am never quite sure whether the stories are from the here and now or from the distant past.

Regardless of their origins, it is important for Josephine to share them with someone. This scenario takes place more than 1,500 times a day with homebound elderly sharing their memories with Volunteers of America Meals on Wheels volunteers. We have 1,031 volunteers in Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Douglas, Clear Creek and Adams counties delivering those 1,500 lunchtime meals Monday through Friday, all year long.

Over the past several weeks, we have received calls from the media wanting to know if any of our volunteers have quit as gas prices continue to rise over $3.25 a gallon. I have said, “No, they haven’t and this is, indeed, a wonderful story.” The media, however, feel the story will be when the volunteers start to quit. I believe the inspiring tale here is that despite the rising cost of gasoline, our volunteers are undaunted and truly grasp the importance of what they do each day.

These marvelous people realize that the daily human contact that this program affords these seniors (the average age is 86) and the nutritious food they deliver are more important than the rising cost of gas. They have decided that they will sacrifice the additional expense to ensure that these people are seen, heard and nurtured on a daily basis.

Josephine might not know about the rising cost of a barrel of oil, but she does know that every other Friday, at 11:30 a.m., I will be there to discuss the weather, her family, the Rockies or anything else she might have on her mind.

Dianna L. Kunz is the president and CEO of Volunteers of America.

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