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Show Thursday, September 4, 2008 i , :.... ; ; I - . . , r. 1 1 i " ! it - ' If Vi I K. ,. . : 111 .?. 1 - 1 1 V .. ., ' three years1 "I'm up and going, but not going very fast." So says Gloria Kirkham of Lehi when asked by a volunteer volun-teer Meals on Wheels driver how she is doing. Once a day during the week, a volunteer arrives at the home of Dean and Gloria Kirkham in Lehi to deliver a hot meal and check up on the couple. On Aug. 27, that volunteer was Erin Hale, and her 4-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. Struggling to meet rising need and overcome higher gas prices, the program needs more volunteer drivers. Volunteers Volun-teers need to drive their own vehicles to deliver the meals, working one day a week for about an hour. Volunteers are needed all over the county but especially in Spanish Fork, Orem and American Fork. When asked by a reporter how old she is, Gloria Kirkham pauses to laugh. "I can't tell for sure," she says with a chuckle. "I was born in 1929." Meals on Wheels makes all the difference for her and her husband. "We've really appreciated it," she said. "My husband doesn't like to fix meals, and I don't. I can't be up that long fiddling around. I broke my hip. It's healed, but it hurts sometimes." As Hale and her daughter daugh-ter prepare to leave, Dean Kirkham hands them cucumbers cucum-bers from his garden as a thank-you gift. , "It's sure nice to have someone some-one so cute to deliver meals," he said with a grin. A few blocks up the road, Shielah Hackford, 86, welcomes wel-comes Hale and her daughter ,.t ANNUAL Caleb Warnock VV'-'H u t;i '' :- 1 "'' ddivering a mcal to shieluh Harford Aug. 27 in Lehi. ' , ."s (. t V 1... - Erin Hale and her daughter Elizabeth. 4, of Cedar Hills sets a meal meals as a volunteer each week for the past three years. with little packs of cookies that Hackford won at bingo. "I'm doing good," she says in response to I lale's inquiry. "I've just finished all my ironing." iron-ing." I lale stops for a couple of minutes at each of the six homes on her route to ask if they are cool enough in the summer heat, whether they need anything, and just to visit. I lale said she saw a newspaper newspa-per article calling for Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers three and a half years ago. SAT. SEPT 13, 2008 8:00 a.m. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: www.utmountainrncing.com ALL RACE PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT WEST RIDGE ACADEMY An extreme 10-mile road and trail run with two legs of 1100 ft. descent and vertical climb. Experience incredible mountain and valley views beginning at Suncrest located at the top of Traverse Ridge Drive in Draper. . For those who are not as extreme the 5K race and 3K fun run offers an event for everyone. AMERICAN 'Av I MY r "I was looking for some sort of community service but I have four kids," she said. "How can I serve with four kids attached to my hip all the time? I saw this and thought this is something I can do." Din ing the summer her four children go with her on her route, which takes about one hour a week. Other volunteers drive on the other days. "I did it partly for myself, partly for others and partly because I wanted my kids to learn to serve the community FORK CITIZEN I U n j. -i-i Hale, of Cedar Hills, delivers meals as a volunteer for Meals on on the kitchen table of one of and to see another side of the community they don't usually see." She wanted her kids to know that "there are people vv ho don't live that far from us who need and help and can benefit from what we have to offer," she said. There are now 50 volunteers volun-teers delivering meals in Utah" County, each taking eight to 10 meals that are dropped off at senior centers and businesses, said Liz Merrell of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program - - - , For June & Jul 2009 Summer Tours. 5pm (1) hour meeting. Saturday September 13th. American Fork High School Auditorium. 510 N. 600 E. American Fork Applications need to be returned by mail $15000 deposit (Due with application) This is a must meeting if you want to go! A Ik r v . i t , 'A her Meals on Wheels clients Aug. 27 in Lehi. Hale has delivered at Mountainland Association of Governments. "Transportation is the costliest cost-liest part of the meal," she said. "It costs about $80,000 per year for a new Meals-on-Wheels delivery route. This includes the cost of the truck, the driver wages, insurance, gas, etc. Asking volunteers in the community to help deliver meals will avoid huge tax increases in-creases while serving more seniors se-niors as our population ages." Meals on Wheels is a needs-based needs-based program for homebound , TUlfi Page 3 Photos by ASHLEY FRANSCELLDaily Herald Wheels each week for the past seniors age 60 and over and their spouses who are too sick or frail to eat at a senior center, she said. The suggested sug-gested donation for each meal is $2.25 in Utah County, and $2.50 in Summit and Wasatch counties. Meals are prepared by the County Jail. Bread is baked fresh daily, fruits and vegetables are grown on location, loca-tion, and all meals meet federal nutritional guidelines. For information on volunteering volun-teering as a driver for Meals on Wheels, call 229-3821. -'-- OFFICIAL SPONSOR: SOU IN rOINir.DINIAl. Wl'.l Fi I 'It- III .M TUN '. ill MM II ' 3 80 I-328-2SOO |