by Garrick Moritz, Gazette
Garretson Area meals on wheels has been defunct for several years, since the Garretson Senior center closed.
Rebecca Behnke, head of Nutrition at the Center for Active Generations in Sioux Falls is no stranger to setting up these programs.
“I am responsible for managing the meals on wheels program in 5 counties in this greater region,” she said. “The former meals on wheels program for Garretson became defunct before I started here, but I understand that it was valued in the community and a loss when it went under. So, this process of bringing it back started when I made a trip up to Garretson, and talked to the local business community. I researched Garretson and met Chef Omar, and well, he said yes. We worked with people at the Treasure Chest to find our initial volunteer drivers, we started the program up and by word of mouth it got popular very quickly.”
The new Meals on Wheels for the Garretson area was kicked into gear just this past September.
“There is no question in my mind all that this was a need in our community,” said Omar Thornton of O So Good Restaurant. “My thought was that I could make the food happen, we only need to be able to get it to the people. Rebecca and volunteers handled the paperwork, and Dave Greenly, a longtime friend and fellow local business owner volunteered to organize the volunteer delivery drivers.”
“Chef Omar and his staff gone above and beyond what most chefs do for this program,” Behnke said. “Instead of just giving people a steady rotating menu, O’s gives participants in the programs a lot of meal options that they order in advance. Seven different meat options, choice of soups or salads and desserts. All healthy, covering all the food groups. This is just one of many ways we can keep people more secure in their homes, instead of going into a nursing home or an assisted living center.”
“Taking care of people is part of my job,” said Thornton. “This is just another means of doing that. These are my customers and I want to provide them the O’s experience, which means the best food I can make. I want them to have something they enjoy getting and eating, while being nutritious and satisfying. Yes, this helps the restaurant too. We do get paid for this, and it keeps us busy and working during otherwise slow hours, but we’re also doing it because these are our friends and neighbors, who we care about. Especially this year when things have been so bad for everybody, and a lot of these folks are afraid to leave their homes. Our volunteer drivers are the real heroes here. Sometimes they are the only face someone will see on a given week. This is why I encourage anyone who wants to help, to talk to Dave. We can always use more drivers!”
Dave Greenlee said that he has been awed and pleased with the success of the program so far. In many cases, and with the Covid-19 Pandemic still raging across the globe, he said this has made the difference between hope and despair in the lives of a lot of people.
“Certainly, we’re delivering delicious meals here, but a lot about this job is human contact,” Greenlee said. “We’re wearing masks and taking protective measure of course, but we’re also making these people’s day in many cases. They are hungry for lunch, but they’re hungry for human contact too. I will deliver a lunch, but then there are times I will come back after all the meals are delivered for a chat for a few minutes too. It means so much theses senior citizens. I’m a senior myself, I’m 70 years old, and we deliver to folks that are my age, and older and younger. People have told me that’s it’s not just a wonderful, nutritious meal, but it’s a God-send. Many who used to get the service years ago were devastated when it stopped. Now families have told me that they feel better, knowing that their loved one is getting a hot meal.”
This said, Greenlee said that drivers are needed. The program goes for Every lunchtime from Tuesday to Saturday.
“So far, I’ve gotten some great volunteers, and right now I’ve got 12 on my roster. But they’re like substitute teachers, I have to call them in. Let’s make an example one of my best and most regular volunteers, Bruce Brown, who I want to give a shout of appreciation out to. He’s been doing deliveries for three days a week. He’s also a prime example of why we need more volunteer drivers. He’s been doing three days a week, even though he’s got plenty of other things going on in his life. I don’t want to burn up my volunteers, so more regular volunteers is exactly what we need, especially as the program gets more and more popular. Right now, we have two routes, that we deliver hot and fresh meals to. If the program continues to grow like it has, we’re soon going to need to expand that to three routes. That being the case we’re going to need more drivers than ever. So, if you can help, please do! Tom Williams was telling me that in the old days, Alliance Communications or Zion Lutheran would take a hand in deliveries to folks. If we could see some of that come back, that would be great, Churches and Church groups, community groups, businesses and the like taking a hand. And when the kids don’t have school, youth groups could step up as well, and I know that would make the day of many of our senior citizens!”
It’s not all been sunshine and roses, they have faced logistical and culinary challenges. Initially, Omar’s cuisine noted for unique and spiciness, was too hot for some folk’s pallets. Also, many of the more exotic regional dishes he’s brought up from the bayou are things some South Dakotans had never sampled before.
“People ask me what grits are,” said Greenlee. “It’s hominy of course, but I tell people it’s like cream of wheat. Omar toned down some of the spicy dishes of course, but even toned down it’s a lot of flavor and kinds of spices many people have never tried before. Some of our customers really like it spicy too, and more than once I’ve heard, ‘I really like it, but it didn’t like me.’ The great thing is that each time the order is made to order for that person, so as they get more meals they get a better understanding of what they like and what they want Omar and his staff to make for them.”
“In total we’re giving these customers more than 50 options with their meals,” said Thornton. “Again, I want them to have the highest quality possible which for me means giving them options. I’m proud to be helping with this program, and it helps me as much as it helps the community.”
In other news, Omar let the Gazette know before our photographer left the building Tuesday as they were prepping meals for launch that his upcoming feature on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives will be happening on January 1st, New Year’s Day 2021!
