Meals and a chat help to make a difference
Volunteering is something that is in Bev’s blood, simply because she likes helping people.
For 38 years Bev has been delivering meals on wheels to local residents. But she admits it is more than just dropping off a meal, it is providing people with sometimes the only visitor they may have that day.
Bev was a young mum with two children at school and a two-year-old son when she first decided to become a meals on wheels volunteer.
She would help her husband milk on their dairy farm in the morning then depending on his farm commitments, would leave their son with him or put him in the car and take him with her.
Bev admits she was probably feeling at a lost end with her older two children at school so when she was asked to volunteer with meals on wheels she thought “why not.”
While Bev was a regular on the Nilma meals on wheels run, one day she was asked to do a Warragul delivery run.
“I didn’t know Warragul very well and there were a couple of streets I didn’t know so I asked a friend to come with me…38 years later she’s still doing it.
“It has changed a lot since the early days when we went off with a large thermos for soup and had to serve residents straight from the thermos, judging the serves perfectly so we didn’t run out.
“Now it is all pre-packaged and they get a soup, meal, dessert and orange juice.
“Talking to all the people is part of it, checking in on them to make sure they are ok.
“For some it might be the only visit they get all day,” she said.
Bev remembers one client who was not eating her meals. When she took the time to talk to her she found out the woman liked to have a cup of tea with her meal but couldn’t make it.
So Bev re-arranged the woman to the last delivery so she would have time to make her a cup of tea and sit with her to eat her meal.
At other times some of the clients have asked Bev to do little jobs, like post letters.
“It is just little things but to them it’s little things that make a difference.
Over the years Bev also has been involved in school and sports clubs and committees as a parent volunteer, helping out in football canteens and umpiring netball.
“It’s all part of being in a club and it’s what you do for your kids.
Bev was secretary of the Bona Vista ladies club when the kids were at school.
She said the committee was more than just a school committee but a community based committee that supported the Bona Vista community.
She said they held community barbecues, fundraised for the school and organised social activities.
“It was probably the only way I got to know other families in the area.
“It was a good way to get to know your neighbour and everyone in the area,” she said.
After 38 years of delivering meals, Bev is not looking to step down.
She is one of the service co-ordinators, working on rosters and finding fill-in volunteers.
“I thoroughly enjoy it, I enjoy seeing people. One of the good things is you go and see these people, you see the photos of their kids and often I know a connection to their families.
As a co-ordinator Bev is always on the lookout for extra volunteers.
“If anyone ever tells me ‘I’m bored’ then look out,” Bev said.