Local charity helps Sussex seniors lead independent, dignified lives

I was recently honored to be asked to serve on the board of directors for Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth. Founded in 1970, this exclusively Cape Region charity holds the distinction of being the first home-delivered meal program in the state of Delaware.

And it’s still going strong today. The concept (but not the execution) is simple: Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth provides two meals a day, 365 days each year, to more than 200 homebound residents exclusively in the Lewes, Rehoboth and Harbeson areas.

The devil is in the details, and the execution is an intricate ballet performed daily by office staff, cooks, packers and drivers - almost all of them volunteers! Most of the 100 drivers work two hours a week making a daily round trip of 25 to 40 miles to deliver 10 to 20 meals.

Since 1995, Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth has delivered over 664,121 hot meals to deserving seniors! Speaking of hot meals, the generosity of Matt Haley lives on in the form of an arrangement he recently struck with Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth. When they found themselves without a food preparation facility, Matt’s organization stepped in to provide the creation, cooking and packaging of the daily meals in the huge commercial kitchen at Fish On in the Villages of Five Points.

Numbers don’t lie, and it is apparent that the Meals on Wheels program is a costeffective alternative to institutionalization. The program has grown at a yearly rate of 3 to 6 percent as retirees live longer, and it’s a sad but proven fact that even a more-than-modest retirement account can be wiped out when illness comes to call. The most poignant element, at least for me, is that for many of the homebound seniors, the daily Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth delivery volunteer is their only connection to the outside world.

So what does all this have to do with the Business of Eating? Well, one of the longest-running charity events in Sussex County is the Harry Derrickson Memorial Golf Tournament held annually at the Rehoboth Beach Country Club. And on the eve of that golfing extravaganza is a pre-tournament dinner and auction. I was pleased to attend that event last Sunday, Sept. 21.

There were so many amazing auction items, including a balloon ride over Napa Valley, two tickets to the 2015 U.S. Open in Washington state, reserved seating for the 2015 Kentucky Derby, a vinyl album autographed by the Rolling Stones, 100 bottles of wine from Atlantic Liquors, an eating and jazz trip to New Orleans … just to name a few.

But the prize that drew the highest and most spirited bidding was a custom five-course dinner for 10, provided, prepared and served in the winner’s home by none other than Touch of Italy boss Bob Ciprietti. Joining him in the prize was that gadabout himself, the Rehoboth Foodie. The elusive (well, he thinks he’s elusive…) food writer will prepare a signature appetizer as part of the prizewinner’s dinner.

As much as it irks me to admit it, word on the street (where he spends a lot of time) is that he is no stranger to the kitchen. We’ll see. That notwithstanding, the dollar amount that was bid for that single auction item will stay right here in Sussex County and pay for 1,560 nourishing meals for deserving seniors!

As a source of daily contact for homebound elderly, Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth contains healthcare costs by helping local clients avoid institutionalized living. I’m proud to be a part of that.