Volunteers spend time visiting, feeding the elderly

By Janis Dell'Olio

I have been spending a lot of time in our neighborhood working as a companion caregiver for the elderly, and I have noticed that, as always, Meals On Wheels is one or our most effective organizations. I can not even imagine what the lives of so many elderly shut-ins would be like without the freshly prepared, nutritious meals delivered to their door five times a week and without the dedicated volunteers who deliver a smile, a friendly chat and sometimes even a newspaper along with the meals.

Kay Green is the manager of volunteer personnel for the program, which is administered by the St. Johns County Council on Aging. She told me that Meals on Wheels provides 300 meals a day, which are distributed countywide by 230 dedicated volunteers. Let me introduce you to a few of these volunteers, who unanimously report that they get as much or more out of the program than the clients they so generously serve.

For instance, Joe Ciriello, of St. Augustine Shores, is a retired steel mill worker from Pennsylvania who has been delivering meals since 2002. He "officially" delivers once a week in the State Road 207/Wildwood Drive area, and he also fills in when others can't make it. Joe also drives elderly clients to and from their doctor appointments. "They have all become my friends," he said. "I enjoy visiting them and helping them out."

Marion and Bill Libby live at Treasure Beach, but they are in our neighborhood nearly every day delivering meals. With gas prices rising, Meals on Wheels is having difficulty finding volunteers, but Marion tells me that they simply combine their delivery routes with grocery shopping and other errands that need to be done anyway.

"The important thing is to help others," she said.

They are both retired military (Bill from the Army and the Army National Guard, Marion from the Navy and the Army National Guard). These active folks are avid bicyclists and, on their bikes, participate in the Treasure Beach neighborhood safety patrol.

Don McAllister told me that he and his wife, Rita, have been delivering meals for five years and appreciate the positive feedback they get from the clients. They deliver meals in St. Augustine South, and they live on Anastasia Island with their dog, Molly, a 1-year-old yellow Labrador. Molly recently has been certified by the American Kennel Club as a therapy dog. Don proudly explained that Molly successfully completed a special training course, equipping her to visit nursing homes and other care centers. Last week, Molly made her first official visit to the Summerville Assisted Living Center on U.S. 1 South.

Virginia Beasley, who lives in St. Augustine South, got involved with the program when her husband, Joseph, died, a little more than five years ago. A native of Massachusetts, Virginia was involved with senior housing programs during her professional life and welcomed the chance to be involved with seniors in this program.

"I love them all," she said, but she is especially fond of one client, a bedridden woman who is blind, but always so pleasant and cheerful that she brightens Virginia's day. Virginia is very involved with family. Her sister, Barbara Haynes, has just moved to St. Augustine from Massachusetts, and we welcome her. Virginia's two grandchildren, Zachary and Makenzie Crete, attend Otis Mason Elementary School, just off U.S. 1 South.

Like all our grandchildren, they are both highly gifted, and Zachary, 10, is running for class office.

These are only a few of the dedicated volunteers who "keep the meals on the wheels."

If you have the time and inclination to get involved with this program, give Kay Green a call at 209-3685.



Scholarship program: Teresa Nizza, president of the St. Augustine South Improvement Association (SASIA), is very excited about the SASIA scholarship program. Scholarship applications will be distributed to all area high schools in February and eligible students are enthusiastically invited to apply.

Last year's winner, Rachel LaFlam, of St. Augustine South, received a check for $1,000 plus an additional check for $100 that the scholarship committee raised just by putting out a "change car" at the weekly bingo games held at the clubhouse on Royal Road every Thursday at 1 p.m.

Rachel's parents, Diane and Keith LaFlam, tell me that Rachel, a graduate of St. Augustine High School, has begun her freshman year at Southeastern University "and she loves it!"

Keith LaFlam is owner of the LaFlam Design Group, located on U.S. 1 South. Diane LaFlam is a full-time mom. Rachel is the second of the couple's four children. Their eldest, Andrew LaFlam, is studying at the University of Central Florida. Two younger brothers will be competing for scholarships soon.



Neighborhood source for fresh fruits and vegetables: "I like to eat trees!" announced Asher Morgan, a small resident of St Augustine Shores, clutching a beautiful head of broccoli that did indeed look like treetops. He was helping his mom shop for vegetables at Currie Produce Market, that bright yellow shop on U.S. 1 South that opened last May,

The Curries are native Floridians fifth generation Floridians, as a matter of fact. The family started out in the last century growing oranges and opened East Palatka Fruit Market in the 1930s. When so many orange trees were lost to freezing temperatures in the 1980's, they decided to concentrate on the retail side of the business, opening their first St. Augustine store on the north side in 1992. Judging by the shoppers I talked to on a recent Saturday, the new store in our neighborhood will be very popular.

On my first visit, I found that Allyson and Patrick Currie have already built up a loyal clientele. "I love it. They have good, fresh stuff" said Joyce Sikes, who lives in Southwood.

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