FULTON, MO—The Callaway Senior Center has been serving about 4,400 meals a month
since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the costs are adding up. To help out, the Rotary Club of Fulton
is organizing a food drive for seniors.
“We want to do what we can to assist the senior center and our senior citizens,” Jan Reyes,
community service chair for Fulton Rotary, said. “It is a vulnerable population that has been
directly affected by the pandemic. Many of them are lonely and hungry.”
Reyes said the Rotary budget is tight because COVID has limited fundraising activities.
However, the club recently donated $1,000 to United Way and $150 to Heart of Missouri CASA.
Because members wanted to help the senior center in some way, the food drive was created.
Non-perishable foods and other items may be dropped off anytime between Sept. 14 and 18
in the orange donation bin at the front door of the senior center at 531 Commons Dr., or anytime
in the orange bin always located at the entrance of C&R Market.
“I thank the Fulton community for continuing to support the Callaway Senior Center,” April
Redman, administrator, said. “We all know all too well that this has been a rough year for
everyone.”
Redman explained that the senior center has been unable to serve meals inside the center
during the pandemic, so about 400 meals are available curbside each month and an additional
4,000 meals are delivered to homebound Callaway residents each month.
Meals for the homebound are delivered once a week in the city limits and every other week
in the county. They include frozen meals, milk, juice and bread.
Because many senior citizens have health issues and have been quarantining, the senior
center has had to add an extra delivery route. With a lack of volunteers, Redman has been making
many of the deliveries herself.
“We have kept on serving, but in a different way,” she said. “The meals cost more, too,
because of the packaging.”
Diane Watson, 77, is president of the senior center board. She said many of the senior
citizens they serve are “on a tight, fixed income, living social security check to social security
check, which is not easy these days.”
She said the visits to the homebound provide more than food. “We try to raise their spirits,
cheer them up, talk to them and give them something to look forward to.”
Redman said the senior center also is in need of a few good volunteers because it is open
again for some activities. She urged interested persons to inquire within, wear a mask and stay
safe.
“The Callaway Senior Center provides much needed services as well as activities,” Redman
said, emphasizing, “Remember, you don't have to be a senior to be involved.”
Items particularly needed by the senior center are mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail,
cheerios, fruit juice, hinged three-compartment to-go boxes, toilet paper, paper towels, plastic
cutlery and masks.
In addition to dropping off supplies, donations may be made by ordering online from Sam’s
Club, Amazon or Walmart and having them shipped to the Callaway Senior Center, 531 Commons
Dr., Fulton, MO 65251.
“The support received from our community is what will continue to see our center survive,
and continue to grow,” Redman said.