Bringing Xmas cheer

Meals on Wheels volunteers prepare for Christmas

There is very little down time for local Meals on Wheels volunteers and heading into the festive season, things ramp up even more.

The Mount Gambier facility has been a hive of activity as volunteers work on three special projects – making up gift bags for clients, delivering Christmas meals and stockpiling a variety of frozen meals to help get clients through the Christmas break when volunteers take a well earned 10 day hiatus from meal delivery.

Gail Williams spearheads the gift bag campaign and last week volunteers put together 180 bags to brighten up Christmas time for clients.

An individual Lions Christmas Cake, mince pies, home baked slices, truffles and biscuits, tea, chocolates and a couple of small gifts make up the 2022 bags which were handed out last Friday.

This Friday those clients will receive their traditional Christmas dinner with soup, a traditional roast and Christmas pudding, as well as those extra frozen meals for over the festive break, as requested.

“We have been doing the gift bags for about 10 years and the clients really look forward to it and it makes such a difference,” Gail said.

OneFortyOne, PFD, Woolworths marketplace, Coles and The Reject Shop have all played a role in making the gift bag project possible, as well as the baking prowess of volunteers.

“Everybody helps us put the bags together with the volunteers happy to come and help get them ready to deliver,” Gail said. Gift bags are also ;puttogether by the Millicent, Naracoorte and Beachport branches.

CHRISTMAS ELVES: Meals on Wheels volunteers Barry Williams, Gail Williams & Sue Hinton.

“…the clients really look forward to it and it makes such a difference…” Gail Williams