Lake City's Meals on Wheels seeks donations, volunteers

LAKE CITY — The Meals on Wheels program in Lake City relies on community donations and also needs more churches’ help with making deliveries each week, organizers and volunteers said.

Meals on Wheels has served more than 225,000 meals locally since Julia Mims began the program at Lake City Presbyterian Church about 25 years ago, said the Rev. Judy Cettei, the church’s pastor.

It carries midday meals to more than 20 people who face a lack of resources and have difficulty getting out of their home, moving around and obtaining meals for themselves, Cettei said.

“It’s just such a pleasant thing ... I feel good going out, and I feel better when I’m coming in because I’ve gone and visited them and spent some time with them,” said Earline Outz, who volunteers through Lake City United Methodist Church.

Meals on Wheels recipient Mary Lou Gamble of Lake City said she is a former volunteer with the program.

“It’s just a beautiful program,” she said. “So many people need it, you know. Not only myself, because I am doing some better, but there are some others is in (worse) shape than I am, that can’t get up at all. And they need it.”

The drivers held an organizational meeting Aug. 16 to discuss ways to get more Lake City churches involved.

“I really am here to laud you and praise you for such a wonderful commitment,” Cettei told the drivers.

Of the nearly 70 churches in the Lake City area, five are involved in Meals on Wheels: Lake City Presbyterian Church, Lake City United Methodist Church, Calvary Baptist Church, Lake City First Baptist Church, and Grace & Glory Ministries, which is in Coward.

At one point, the program didn’t have a church dedicated to handling its Friday routes, but Calvary Baptist stepped up recently to ensure the meals would be delivered.

Many churches that participate, however, still need more volunteers to cover all the routes.

The program has about 15 drivers, some of whom handle two routes.

Some recipients have the misconception that the drivers are paid, Cettei said at last week’s meeting.

“They give up their time and their gas money,” she said, adding that a route can cover 20 to 25 miles.

Meals on Wheels gets calls from people living as far away as Effingham, but has to say “no” in some cases, unfortunately, Cettei said.

The cost per meal is $4, which adds up to $1,400 or $1,500 a month, Cettei said.

More frequently, Lake City Presbyterian Church is seeing people making donations to the program in honor of a deceased family member or friend, she said.

Meals on Wheels, which serves many people on diabetic, low-sodium and other special diets, also receives $5,000 a year from the Federal Emergency Management Association, Cettei said.

Kitchen staff at the Lake City Community Hospital are able to prepare the meals correctly to meet the recipients’ dietary needs, she said.

The recipients are qualified by a nurse, Corliss Bowman, who visits them to determine whether they meet the program’s criteria.

Volunteers overwhelmingly said Meals on Wheels is a rewarding experience.

Edith LaPalme of Lake City, who attends Grace & Glory Ministries in Coward, said drivers call her regularly to tell her what a joy the program is.

“And they would never quit unless they dropped dead, I don’t think,” she said.

The volunteers also encourage more people to become involved with the program.

“I think that if they put themselves out there to do it one time, they would be hooked,” Outz said.