(ROCKWALL, TX — August 29, 2017) Lynn Ross has a very clear answer for anyone who questions just how important Phantom, Gracie and Fizzy are to her life.
“They’re my everything,” the 75-year-old Royse City woman answered recently. “They’re the only reason I wake up in the morning.”
Phantom, Gracie and Fizzy are dogs that provide Ross with love and companionship.
Meals on Wheels officials know all about the vital bond that many senior citizens have with their furry companions. They also know that pet support can be a financial and physical burden for many seniors.
That bond and burden are reasons Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County offers the Jim and Lisa Parrish Ani-Meals Program, a special service that provides pet food, supplies and care to about 35 homebound seniors and disabled persons who have pets. The program is named in honor of Rockwall County residents Jim and Lisa Parrish, who were among four people killed in a plane crash in Arizona on Oct. 4, 2013. As members of the community, the couple were supporters of Meals on Wheels, giving generously of their time and money.
The local effort also is getting national support. The Rockwall County Meals on Wheels program recently was awarded a $1,500 Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grant from Meals on Wheels America.
“For years, Meals on Wheels Senior Services staff and volunteers noticed an increasing number of clients giving part of their meals away to their pets due to limited resources,” said Margie VerHagen, executive director of Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County.
“Absolutely,” Ross said, confirming that, yes, she would consider feeding her dogs off her plate if she didn’t have dog food.
Meals on Wheels, VerHagen said, believes that pets play an important role in a senior’s life as they age. The seniors, she said, develop a strong bond with their furry friend.
The senior and pet needs are mutual.
“Pets depend on their owners for care and attention and in return, their pet offers love and companionship,” she said.
Ross, a Royse City resident for about three years, said she became a Meals on Wheels client shortly after she and Phantom moved from Durant, Okla. Gracie and Fizzy joined the family later and Ross became a recipient of Ani-Meal services.
Phantom is a 7-year-old schnauzer and Gracie is a 2-year-old dachshund. Ross is unsure about Fizzy’s age. He’s a mixed-breed rescue dog and Ross said she agreed to provide foster care for him. That was two years ago, she said, and now he’s a member of the family.
“They’re my life,” Ross said of her canine companions.
She has a close friend who checks on her, Ross said, but it’s the daily companionship of Phantom, Gracie and Fizzy that keeps her from feeling that she’s alone.
Ross stressed that the weekday visits from Meals on Wheels volunteers also are important.
“They are so kind,” she said.
Another recipient of the Ani-Meal service is Jessie Gash, a 48-year-old disabled Rockwall resident who has battled cerebral palsy all his life. His furry friend is Harley, a 10- or 11-year-old miniature pinscher.
Gash, asked whether he would feed Harley off his plate, responded that he would do whatever is necessary to “make sure that dog gets his food.”
He expressed his thanks for the services provided by Meals on Wheels—services provided for himself and Harley.
Providing food for Harley meets a big need in his life, he said. The helping hand provided for Gash and his dog inspires him to help others.
“I’m thankful for the help they give me and other people in the community,” he said. “I believe in helping people if I can. I try to help my fellow man if I can.”
Janice Enloe, benefits counselor of Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County, said an anonymous donor wants to make sure the memory of Jim and Lisa Parrish lives on. After the fatal plane crash, the donor made a financial contribution to Meals on Wheels and the Jim and Lisa Parrish Ani-Meal Program was born.
Enloe said the donor provides funds faithfully, ensuring that the program will continue to meet the needs of Rockwall County senior and disabled residents—and their pets.
Story and photos by Blue Ribbon News contributing writer Jim Hardin.
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