OBSERVER Photo by Mary Heyl On Wednesday, staff and volunteers for Meals on Wheels celebrated their return to Newton Street with a holiday open house and ribbon cutting ceremony. Pictured, center, is Executive Director Deb Pacos, prepared to cut the ribbon, along with staff members Connie Piccolo and Patrick Lyons, Board Chair Carol Oliveira and State Senator George Borrello.

Indeed, Meals on Wheels temporarily relocated to the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator on Central Avenue, where the staff maintained office operations for approximately three and a half months. All meals are prepared by SUNY Fredonia’s FSA, who took over meal preparation when Meals on Wheels’ contract with Brooks Memorial Hospital ended on March 31. “We began the transition back (to Newton Street) in mid May,” Pacos explained. “There was a lot of work to do to straighten everything out, and we wanted to hold an event like this earlier in the year, in summer time, but that wasn’t seeming to work out very well.”

Hosting a holiday open house, however, proved to be a great alternative, as the festive gathering celebrated the new look of the office and benefited another local organization just in time for the holiday season. Guests to the open house were encouraged to bring a shelf-stable food item to support the Salvation Army of Dunkirk. “We’re doing a food collection for the Salvation Army mobile food pantry, as we work in conjunction with them,” Pacos explained. “We’re giving back to them to create the Christmas baskets for families in need.”

Meals on Wheels recently joined the Chamber of Commerce, which has proven to be a great partnership, said Pacos. “I learned how they help do open houses and ribbon cuttings,” she explained. “We enlisted the chamber’s help and advertised through their membership. A lot of people didn’t know we’re back here, so it’s been great to get the word out!”

During the open house, guests learned about opportunities to volunteer with Meals on Wheels, which has been serving the community since 1970. “In the winter in general, we need more volunteers,” Pacos explained. “We have a lot of volunteers who are snowbirds, and we usually have a surge in the number of people that are on the program during the holidays.”

Pacos said that numbers are up by 10 to 15%, which seems to stay consistent. “I don’t know if that is reflective of a larger need in the community or that maybe we are getting the word out better than we have in the past,” she said. “There are a lot of people who don’t know about us or think we’re only in Dunkirk and Fredonia, but basically we serve the whole lake shore area.”

Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels serves approximately 170 clients in Arkwright, Brocton, Dunkirk, Forestville, Fredonia, Hanover, Irving, Portland, Sheridan and Villenova. The organization has approximately 65 volunteers and four paid drivers who are dedicated to serving meals to community members in need. In addition to serving healthy, nutritionally balanced meals to those in need, Meals on Wheels provides daily wellness and safety checks and, importantly, social interaction with volunteers. To volunteer or make a tax-deductible donation, call 366-8822 or visit dfmealsonwheels.org.

Reflecting on the flood earlier this year, Pacos said, “Things like this happen and you just feel very fortunate to be part of a community that is so generous and so caring and has not forgotten the needs of older people who sometimes don’t have a voice. Not every community has that kind of attitude, and I’m so glad to be part of one that does.”

Indeed, Meals on Wheels temporarily relocated to the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator on Central Avenue, where the staff maintained office operations for approximately three and a half months. All meals are prepared by SUNY Fredonia’s FSA, who took over meal preparation when Meals on Wheels’ contract with Brooks Memorial Hospital ended on March 31. “We began the transition back (to Newton Street) in mid May,” Pacos explained. “There was a lot of work to do to straighten everything out, and we wanted to hold an event like this earlier in the year, in summer time, but that wasn’t seeming to work out very well.”

Hosting a holiday open house, however, proved to be a great alternative, as the festive gathering celebrated the new look of the office and benefited another local organization just in time for the holiday season. Guests to the open house were encouraged to bring a shelf-stable food item to support the Salvation Army of Dunkirk. “We’re doing a food collection for the Salvation Army mobile food pantry, as we work in conjunction with them,” Pacos explained. “We’re giving back to them to create the Christmas baskets for families in need.”

Meals on Wheels recently joined the Chamber of Commerce, which has proven to be a great partnership, said Pacos. “I learned how they help do open houses and ribbon cuttings,” she explained. “We enlisted the chamber’s help and advertised through their membership. A lot of people didn’t know we’re back here, so it’s been great to get the word out!”

During the open house, guests learned about opportunities to volunteer with Meals on Wheels, which has been serving the community since 1970. “In the winter in general, we need more volunteers,” Pacos explained. “We have a lot of volunteers who are snowbirds, and we usually have a surge in the number of people that are on the program during the holidays.”

Pacos said that numbers are up by 10 to 15%, which seems to stay consistent. “I don’t know if that is reflective of a larger need in the community or that maybe we are getting the word out better than we have in the past,” she said. “There are a lot of people who don’t know about us or think we’re only in Dunkirk and Fredonia, but basically we serve the whole lake shore area.”

Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels serves approximately 170 clients in Arkwright, Brocton, Dunkirk, Forestville, Fredonia, Hanover, Irving, Portland, Sheridan and Villenova. The organization has approximately 65 volunteers and four paid drivers who are dedicated to serving meals to community members in need. In addition to serving healthy, nutritionally balanced meals to those in need, Meals on Wheels provides daily wellness and safety checks and, importantly, social interaction with volunteers. To volunteer or make a tax-deductible donation, call 366-8822 or visit dfmealsonwheels.org.

Reflecting on the flood earlier this year, Pacos said, “Things like this happen and you just feel very fortunate to be part of a community that is so generous and so caring and has not forgotten the needs of older people who sometimes don’t have a voice. Not every community has that kind of attitude, and I’m so glad to be part of one that does.”