Beryl committed to Meals on Wheels
If one of the Meals on Wheels drivers is a no-show, Beryl Harris doesn’t fuss or grumble – she just grabs her keys and gets the job done herself.
Harris, who has lived in Elsdon for 52 years, comes from a family of nine children, and had eight of her own. If anyone knows about organising chaos amid what she calls ‘‘good noise’’, it’s her.
Although she lived in Blenheim and Waiouru before coming here, she considers herself a Porirua person, through and through.
‘‘I’ve got no desire to move,’’ she said. ‘‘I’m 78, why would I? It’s a lovely place. It’s always felt like home, with everything you need on your doorstep.
‘‘The city has grown so much – I’ve lived in the first house built in Elsdon most of my life and watched this area just build up around me.’’
All her children attended Porirua School and Mana College, which had brilliant school communities, she said.
Harris was one of 50 Porirua residents given a specially crafted medal as part of the city’s 50th celebrations last year. She was nominated for her 36 years of work with Meals on Wheels in Porirua and Tawa, but still can’t see what all the fuss was about.
‘‘I wasn’t doing anything really. Why would anyone want to give me a medal? I was blown away by it and still can’t believe it.’’ She said she ‘‘fell into’’ Meals on Wheels after her children got older and she had a car, a prerequisite for volunteering for the organisation.
Harris has lost count of the number of meals she has delivered and spends much of her time these days co- ordinating drivers. If someone can’t make it to Kenepuru Hospital to collect their allocated meals, or doesn’t show up, Harris inevitably steps in.
‘‘When I started, I would sometimes deliver three times a day, but I do much less of that now. But I’m ready to go and now and again you get the call.
‘‘I’ve always enjoyed delivering and it’s a good feeling to know that people who can’t cook for themselves, for whatever reason, are getting a nice meal.’’