RHINELANDER - Volunteers are the main ingredient in home delivered meals throughout the Northwoods.

Oneida County Department on Aging Transportation and Nutrition Coordinator Mary Boyer says, "Just at the Rhinelander site we're serving five days a week and we have six routes. So we need about 30 drivers every week."

Each driver gets their assigned route, bags of food and a feeling of satisfaction as they head out the door.

John Rademacher is one of the team, "It makes you feel good. You know, there's a lot of people out there that need this service and as long as we're healthy and able we're glad to do it."

Rademacher and his wife are only one piece of the puzzle, "A couple of the other people you see there sitting at the table, they've been doing it for quite a few years. They volunteer several times per week."

Now they're on the road and to the first delivery of the day, "There's a lot of people who are deserving" says Rademacher.

One of those is Marion Cohen.

She's been enrolled for a couple years now and says she's thankful for the filling meal, "Well, because it's too hard for me to do my cooking. That's one of the reasons."

She's also thankful for the visit, "They come in and say, 'hello' and we talk a little bit."

When the volunteers stop by, they don't just deliver a hot meal. They also bring in some companionship with them and spend some time with those they deliver the food to.

Boyer says, "The whole idea of the program is to give people good nutrition so that they can stay in their home as long as possible."

Enjoying their independence, the company and of course the food.

Related Weblinks:
Oneida County Department on Aging

Story By: Michael Crusan