Meals on Wheels program provides pivotal service to Western South Dakota

(KOTA)
Published: Feb. 14, 2019 at 5:40 PM CST
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Meals on Wheels Western South Dakota provides a pivotal service to area seniors in 39 different West River communities.

Every Monday through Friday, Meals on Wheels serves hundreds of hot nutritious meals to senior citizens at one of their dining sites. For those that are homebound and unable to make a meal, volunteers deliver the meal right to their doorstep. This time of year they are also supplying these seniors with an emergency non-perishable food kit in case they are unable to deliver a meal.

This delivery service provides crucial social interaction with these seniors as these volunteers can be only the person they see that day. It also builds friendships and more.

"All of the seniors they look forward to seeing the volunteers as well as the volunteers seeing them," said Cheree Pederson, community resource coordinator for Meals on Wheels. "Many times they can sit down and visit for a while or volunteers many of a times have also taken seniors to doctors appointments or scoop their sidewalks."

Clayton Hieb is a volunteer whose been delivering meals for almost two years.

"It's tremendous," said Hieb, who \ delivered a box of chocolates to people on his route for Valentine's Day. "There are some beautiful people out there and everyone I've ever delivered a meal to has been grateful and there is just a bunch of nice people. You walk into their house, you're welcomed."

The food delivery is not only for social interaction, it serves as a welfare check. Hieb once had to call 911 for a person on his route who slipped and fell.

"It turned out thankfully that he wasn't hurt real bad, he dislocated his shoulder," said Hieb. "He's still getting his meals."

Hieb described what he does if he doesn't get an answer at the door.

"If I knock on the door and they don't answer I knock again" said Hieb. "If a door is open, I go in and I keep hollering and if I have to, I'll walk around the house and make sure that there is somebody not laying on the floor and that's just part of it and it's nice to do it. It's a good thing to do it."

The Meals on Wheels program is always in need of volunteers for meal deliveries. If you are interested in volunteering, call them at 605-394-6002.