By Tanna Friday
For The Tribune
TRUSSVILLE — Cahaba Elementary students have partnered with United Way’s Meals on Wheels to create over 700 greeting cards to accompany meals delivered to a senior receiving a meal.
According to United Way of Central Alabama’s blog, Trussville residents receive a total of 9,519 meals through Meals on Wheels. This is accomplished by a loyal crew of volunteers who serve 35 Trussville seniors five days a week for 285 days.
After learning about the 700-plus seniors in Jefferson County who receive meals daily through Meals on Wheels, Cahaba Elementary guidance counselor Rachael Osburn challenged her students to spread some holiday cheer by creating holiday greeting cards for local seniors.
“When I played a video for students of volunteers delivering meals, they were shocked,” says Osburn. “They found out the meal delivery is the only daily contact with the outside world that some seniors have. It was amazing how excited they were to send kind thoughts to the seniors to brighten their day.”
Recently, the City of Trussville donated $5,000 to United Way’s Meals on Wheels to ensure the program continues to provide home-delivered meals to seniors. During Tuesday’s Trussville City Council meeting, Cahaba Elementary students were present to thank both mayor and council for supporting Meals on Wheels and invited them to sign some of the greeting cards they created.
Emily Cook, United Way of Central Alabama’s Public Relation Specialist, says that the greeting cards will be delivered to home-bound seniors during Thanksgiving week.
“We wanted to thank you all with a public presentation of that and present the cards the students of Cabaha Elementary School are making for the Meals on Wheels recipients to kind of aid those seniors in the holiday season when they may not receive as many meals due to the holiday season,” says Cook.