Meals on Wheels, Indianapolis

We Deliver Smiles

Servants of Christ Lutheran Church

Sometimes what's in a name can be pretty significant. In the case of Servants of Christ Lutheran Church, the folks there take the "servants" part very seriously.

By two's every Wednesday they take their service on the road to deliver meals to Indianapolis-area homebound. Fifteen volunteers, most of whom are 15-year MOW veterans, share an east-side route out of Westminster Village not far from the congregation whose strong emphasis on mission keeps them "Christ centered and Word focused."

Becky Graves, who recently took over volunteer coordinator activities from Laura Dahlem (who had performed that task since 1991), said, "We take for granted being able to walk to the fridge and fix ourselves a meal. The reality is, not everyone can do that. Many people have no one to look out for them."

Dahlem agreed, adding, "It's easy to get caught up in our busy lives-working, our kids' extracurricular activities-this is a great way to pause and reach out, to stop being so self-focused."

Graves and Dahlem deliver together, making use of the latest in GPS technology to find their way and turning their delivery days into special time they can spend catching up and having lunch. They encourage the other Servants of Christ volunteers to do the same as a way of deepening friendships with other church members.

The church has held several successful volunteer recruitment drives, and one year even had a "MOW Month" where they talked about Meals on Wheels during Sunday morning worship services, encouraging not only the retirees and stay-at-home parents to deliver, but also working people who could participate on their lunch breaks.

Over the years the two friends have had some difficult moments. Dahlem recalls enlisting her entire family to assist during a particularly heavy snow storm. Graves remembers having to call paramedics because a client had fallen out of bed. On the flip side, both women have become "attached" to the clients on their route and look forward to visiting with them, especially the couples whose repartee is often interesting and amusing.

When they spot a home in disrepair, or a client in distress, it reminds them of their blessings and the reasons they do "this worthwhile project." "When our congregation was young," said Graves, "We used the deliveries as a tool that would help us serve others and live out our faith in the community through service to needy people."

In at least one instance, these good deeds were paid forward. Don and Shirley Holmes, two other Servants of Christ volunteers, were "tickled" to receive a surprise free meal at Puccini's one afternoon because the waitress said, "No charge today! Anyone nice enough to deliver meals deserves a free lunch." Shirley recalls one woman who liked reminding them of her own service to Meals on Wheels before age and health transformed her from a volunteer to a client, "Even though we're not spring chickens," said Shirley, "It makes us feel so good to be able-bodied enough to help."

Meals on Wheels expresses heartfelt thanks for the volunteer service of these Servants of Christ Lutheran Church employees:

We are also grateful to the Servants of Christ Lutheran Church Youth Group, for spending a Sunday last winter preparing emergency food packets for our clients:

For further details, please contact us at 317.633.6325, or by e-mail at info@mealsonwheelsindy.org .

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