Nourishing mind, body and soul
(ROCKWALL COUNTY, TX – March 16, 2016) Seniors and disabled citizens throughout Rockwall County looking for a delicious meal and fun social activities need look no further than the Royse City Senior Center, which recently entered into a partnership with Meals On Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County to provide hot, nutritious meals at the center.
Located in the back of the Royse City Volunteer Fire Department facility at 107 Plum St., the center had been operating through city funding for many years, feeding senior citizens from all over. However, with only 15 seniors coming in for meals on a daily basis, Royse City began struggling to keep the center funded and operational.
Knowing the importance of these congregate centers in keeping seniors and disabled citizens healthy and active, MOWSS Executive Director Margie VerHagen and Assistant Director Robert Glover began to think of ways to help fund the Royse City Senior Center.
“Rob and I started thinking of grants we could apply for that would benefit the city,” VerHagen said. “We went to the City Council and presented an opportunity of the partnership of us doing the grant writing and providing the cost for the meals.”
VerHagen and Glover were successful in writing a grant to provide a nutrition program which would allow federal funding under Title IIIC of the Older Americans Act for the center to keep in operation.
“Funding is always hard,” Glover said. “Our ability to bring in more funding to help keep people fed at the Senior Center and increase their numbers has lined up right with our mission.”
VerHagen and Glover worked closely with Royse City Senior Center Activities Director Della Hedrick and Royse City H.R. Director Tauna Ratliffe to form a partnership which has allowed MOWSS to provide participating seniors with meals modified to effectively comply with federal grant standards. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall licensed dieticians Sandy Sheffler and Nichole Anguiano also generously donated their time in nutritionally analyzing each meal on the menu, making sure each one met one third of the recommended daily allowances for seniors.
VerHagen said the goal of the partnership is to keep seniors healthy and active, to keep them independent in their homes but also provide a facility where they can socialize and receive a healthy meal, in order to prevent illness and isolation.
“Our partnership with the City of Royse City congregate meal program offers multiple ways for seniors to maintain their independence and receive well-balanced, great-tasting and healthy meals,” VerHagen said. “There’s great conversation, engaging activities and helpful speakers who discuss relevant subject matter relating to seniors. The program is closely designed to the mission of MOWSS, keeping seniors and disabled citizens active and living in their homes as long as safely possible through providing nutritious meals, and promoting wellness for seniors through education and the opportunity to receive additional supportive services.”
Around 90 senior clients of MOWSS have signed up to eat meals at the center, which is projecting to serve close to 12,000 meals for the Fiscal Year 2016.
The Royse City Senior Center operates from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and has a full calendar of activities for seniors every month, including art class on Mondays and Wednesdays taught by local retired artist and educator Dub Holden.
Hedrick said that in her two years as activities director at the center, the seniors really seem to enjoy the food and the socializing, and that many have formed close friendships with one another.
“To see their friendships grow, it’s been such a beautiful thing,” Hedrick said. “All of my seniors are on Facebook and have friended me. So I can see what they’re doing on Friday and Saturday nights, and their having dinner parties with all the friends they made here, and it’s awesome to see.”
Hedrick said the center hopes to increase its hours this coming fall so that seniors have more time to socialize and enjoy all the activities.
“We do have hopes for extending our hours, but that won’t start until the new budget year in October,” Hedrick said. “We’re hoping to stay open until about 2 or 2:30 every day so that the seniors can utilize the center more.”
Anyone 60 and older, along with their spouse, can sign up to receive meals at the Senior Center. To sign up, contact the MOWSS office at 972-771-9514.
Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News staff writer.
Your #1 source for positive hometown stories, entertainment and events.
Our print edition is delivered free to 18,000+ homes in Rockwall and Heath, TX.
To share your good news and events, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.
For advertising inquiries both online and in print, call 214-342-8000 or email advertising@BlueRibbonNews.com.
Download the FREE Official Rockwall Area App for Apple iPhone or Android.
Elderly get boost from new partnership between Meals on Wheels of Rockwall County, Royse City Senior Center added by Editor on
View all posts by Editor →