Home Delivered Meals driver, Lee Schultz, left, delivers a hot meal to client, Richard Ward, on March 3. “Lee’s a good man,” Ward said. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

OAK HARBOR – Before Barbara Herriott became a Home Delivered Meals client, her lunches often consisted of canned pasta and TV dinners. Now Lee Schultz, a Home Delivered Meals driver, brings a hot meal to her doorstep five days a week. But Shultz delivers more than just food; he also brings companionship and security. As he sets food on her table, he makes sure that Herriott is well – five times every week.

Home Delivered Meals is a program of Ottawa County Senior Resources, and this month, they are celebrating March for Meals, an initiative to highlight the meal program and to raise funds to support it. Although many counties host meal delivery programs, Ottawa County Senior Resources’ program is especially impactful because the food is prepared onsite and delivered hot to the seniors’ homes.

“We have a hot box and a cold box on our trucks,” Schultz said. “They can eat the meals as soon as I set it on their table.”

Herriott is grateful for the hot meals.

Home Delivered Meals driver, Lee Schultz, not only brought a hot meal for client, Beverly Whitten, but he also brought a treat for her dog on March 3. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“I love the food. I get more variety now. I get a baked potato once in a while, and I wouldn’t buy a whole bag of potatoes just for me,” she said.

More importantly, Herriott knows that someone will visit her five days a week.

“Lee checks on me,” she said. “I know if I fall, he’ll be here.”

There have been days that Schultz arrived at homes to find clients who have fallen. Sometimes, the falls were serious enough that he had to call for an ambulance. This winter, one of his clients fell before he arrived on a Friday, and she wasn’t expecting another visitor until Monday.

“She would have laid there until Monday,” Schultz said. “For some of them, I’m the only one they see. For others, I’m one more person to keep an eye on them.”

Client Richard Ward said he is also grateful for the program. He has a lot of family support, but he is thankful for the daily visits from Schultz.

Lee Schultz pulls a meal out of the hot box on his truck. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“Lee’s a good man. He takes care of me. He checks on me,” Ward said. “They are all very good people (at Senior Resources). I appreciate what they do.”

The Home Delivered Meals program provides hot meals to about 360 Ottawa County seniors every weekday. About 240 of those meals are delivered to private homes, and the remainder are served at local senior centers. March’s menu had a wide variety of healthy entrees, including roast beef with gravy, chicken pot pie, and meatloaf. The drivers also bring a free treat for clients’ dogs.

“I like the program because they come every weekday,” said client Cheryl Myers. “I like the people that bring the food. I support the program as much as I can.”

Home Delivered Meals cost $4, but seniors are welcome to pay what they can. Some pay the full amount, some pay a partial amount, and some receive the meals for free.

Ottawa County Senior Resources Director Tory Thompson invited local media and organization representatives to do a ride-along with a Home Delivered Meals driver to learn more about the program. Beacon Editor Sheri Trusty had the opportunity to ride with Schultz on March 3. She was surprised by the far-reaching impact of the program and had the joy of meeting close to two dozen seniors.

Lee Schultz delivers hot meals from this truck throughout Port Clinton and Catawba five days a week. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

Thompson welcomes locals to volunteer at a senior center to learn more about the program, and she is accepting applications for substitute drivers, which is a paid position.

“We’re always looking for substitute drivers, especially in the summer months,” she said. “It’s great for someone who is retired. It’s a few hours a day and a little extra money.”

Ottawa County Senior Resources will host a Volunteer and Staff Training meeting on May 20. More information will be posted soon on the Ottawa County Senior Resources Facebook page. There are benefits far beyond a paycheck for the people who work and volunteer for Senior Resources. They have the opportunity to impact the lives of the county’s senior citizens.

“I love doing this. I love talking with the seniors. I love associating with the seniors,” Schultz said. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

For more information, call 419-734-6710 or visit https://www.co.ottawa.oh.us/328/Senior-Resources.