PORT TOWNSEND — A City Council member has taken the wheel to drive an effort to replace and enhance the recently discontinued senior meal program at the Port Townsend Community Center.
“It is important that these seniors get low-fat, low-salt and low-cholesterol food because they have a number of health issues,” said Laurie Medlicott, who is not running for a third term on the Port Townsend City Council in November.
“For many of them, this is their big meal of the day and also provides their daily socialization, so this is tremendously important,” Medlicott said.
The meals are served beginning at 4:20 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St.
Medlicott is calling on community groups to volunteer their time to keep the program going.
Olympic Community Action Programs had provided meals at the center but discontinued the practice in July because of a loss of federal and state funding.
United Good Neighbors took on the task of providing the meals and called on local community groups to chip in one week at a time until a more permanent solution could be established.
Two weeks ago, the task fell to the Port Townsend Rotary Club, of which Medlicott is a member.
She said she found that contributions had little to do with the seniors’ dietary needs.
“They were providing chicken soup and sliced deli sandwiches, which isn’t healthy food for people in their 70s and 80s,” Medlicott said.
“I was embarrassed.”
Medlicott, whose council term ends in January, volunteered to run the kitchen once her council term is over.
But she decided there was no reason to wait and said she would do the cooking if someone else provided the organization.
Last week, a combined crew of East Jefferson Fire-Rescue and Port Townsend Police Department personnel, including the chiefs of both agencies, helped cook, serve and clean up for about 22 seniors each day.
Medlicott said they also kicked in more than $300 of their own money for groceries, which were served all week.
“You always hear criticism of the fire and police, but you never hear about all the great, generous volunteer work they do on a regular basis,” she said.
This week, Presbyterian Church is providing support, and next week, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will do so.
Additional organizations are needed to volunteer beginning the week of Sept. 26 and into the future.
At least four people are needed to help out from
3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
“I’m hoping we can get people to commit to this,” Medlicott said.
“It can be a civic group or a senior class that needs to do a community service project.”
Medlicott said that when she took over the kitchen, she was told about a dozen people showed up for the meals each day.
Lately, it has increased to an average of 22 per day.
Those showing up for dinner Monday will be the recipients of a donation of four turkeys from the Port Townsend Food Bank.
Medlicott said the program can’t count on these donations happening on a regular basis, as the food bank must take care of its own clients first before giving anything away to other sources.
While Medlicott is recruiting organizations to contribute time and labor, there is a parallel effort to acquire food, though the senior center does have a grocery budget.
Those attending also are asked to contribute $3 to $5 for each meal, though that doesn’t cover costs, Medlicott said.
For more information or to volunteer, phone Eleanor Stickney at 360-385-9100 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
To contribute food or other materials, phone Medlicott at 360-385-6755.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.
bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
