LUCERNE — People Services, Inc. now provides most of the labor needed to deliver Meals-On-Wheels to clients of the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center (LASC).
“These hard-working people come every day, rain or shine, and load their own vehicles with food then drive the neighborhood stopping to chat, check on the social welfare and bring a balanced meal to seniors who are homebound,” Robert “Bob” Clifton, executive director of LASC, said.
Clifton added that sometimes the visit is as important as the meal. “Sometimes the only person to person contact these people have on a regular basis is with our delivery person. The driver has several jobs to do while at the client”s home. They are looking at such things as: the living condition of the house, the acuity of the client as well as conversation and problem solving.
“With the economy as it is, coupled with the swell of aging baby boomers, all of us who work in the field of senior advocacy are constantly facing financial hardships,” Clifton said. “The service provided by People Services and its employees comes at a much needed time. I am not sure how we would get our job done without them.”
March is traditionally the month in which senior centers in the United States conduct the March for Meals campaign in an attempt to bring information about and recognition of the Meals-On-Wheels service to the population in their areas.
According to Clifton, approximately 49 percent of the money needed to fully fund the center has to come from the supportive public effort in the form of donations, be this cash, saleable household items, food or volunteer time.
LASC is located at 10th Avenue and Country Club Drive. For more information, call 274-8779.
