A CLOSER LOOK

To volunteer for Meals on Wheels or for more information about the programs of Southern Maine Agency on Aging, call 396-6500, or visit their Web site, smaaa@smaaa.org.

On snow-slickened roads throughout York and Cumberland counties, Meals on Wheels volunteers delivered Valentine’s Day roses last Friday along with hot dinners to house-bound clients.

The roses were to be delivered on Wednesday, but due to the snow storm, drivers could not make their rounds until Friday.

“I love the rose,” said Windham resident Margaret York, who is confined to a wheelchair. “When you’re all alone, you sure do appreciate something like that.”

According to Eileen Whynot, director of community relations for the Southern Maine Agency on Aging – a private, nonprofit corporation that manages the Meals on Wheels program in southern Maine – this Valentine’s Day rose tradition began 10 years ago, when Lorraine Merrill of South Portland anonymously donated funds for the delivery of the roses in the hope that clients would not feel forgotten during the holiday.

Only upon Merrill’s death was her name revealed, Whynot said, and in her will she bequeathed $75,000 to “ensure that the tradition of delivering roses with Meals on Wheels will live on for many years.”

First-time volunteer driver and Windham resident Carol Walsh, a caterer by trade, said she decided to deliver a hot meal and a single rose to elderly and infirmed clients because she wanted to do something positive for her community. Her mother, Teresa Davis, and sister, Marie Wood, also volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

“It’s really satisfying to know someone’s getting the nourishment they need and that they weren’t forgotten on Valentine’s Day,” she said. “Volunteers really tend to bring a part of themselves to the delivery … it’s a wonderful moment when the clients get to know you, when they open up to you for the first time.”

Navigating the icy roads in her sedan, Walsh was met with thankful smiles each time she handed over a hot meal and rose to her clients.

Windham resident and client John Harold Sr. praised the Meals on Wheels program for its helpfulness as he met Walsh at his front door. “Not only are they supportive, but it’s good food, too,” he said.

While shoveling the heavy snow from his father’s patio, Harold’s son, John Jr., said the Meals on Wheels program helps him greatly as he divides his time with his own kids and helping his elderly father.

“It’s a great service that frees up a lot of time for me,” he said, leaning on his shovel.

Thelma Chamberlain, another client with a rose clutched tightly in her hand, said she thought the volunteers have always been wonderful people with easy smiles.

“The rose is a wonderful gesture,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

Back at Unity Gardens on Route 115, where the meals were prepared before drivers took off on their predetermined routes, Terri Powell, a Standish resident and volunteer, served up meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans onto portable plates.

“It’s all about seeing the looks on their faces,” said Powell, who once volunteered to deliver the meals she now prepares and appreciated the opportunity to see the end result of her work in the kitchen. “And the volunteers are great to work with, too.”

Ted Trainer, director of Healthy Aging, a nutrition and wellness program at the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, said thanks to federal money channeled through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Meals on Wheels program and dining centers that cater to seniors are made possible.

But the roses, Trainer said, were a special touch. “This is a wonderful program very much due to the generosity of Lorraine Merrill.”