Meals on Wheels golf tournament raises $32,000

The annual Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth golf tournament was held Oct. 26 at Rehoboth Beach Country Club. The event featured 88 players and 12 Meals on Wheels volunteers, and raised more than $32,000. 

Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth is a private 501c3 nonprofit organization that was first organized in 1970 and funded by the Delaware Division of Aging in 1973. In its first year, this program delivered 16,609 meals to local homebound residents. By the end of the 1970s, more than 20,000 meals per year were being distributed. As client needs grew, the program expanded to include a holistic approach to providing services.

The program grows 3 percent to 6 percent per year in overall service due to the advancing age of retirees and their increased susceptibility to life-threatening illnesses. The organization anticipates the same increase in the under-60 growth rate due to the ever-growing numbers of disabled persons under age 60.

Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth has more than 110 dedicated volunteers who make distribution a reality. Each day, volunteer drivers deliver a hot meal to each client on one of 15 routes in Sussex County. With client numbers on the rise, recruitment of additional drivers is continuous. 

To learn more about Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth, go to www.mealsonwheels-lr.org.