LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — The routine was different this Thanksgiving, but Lee's Summit Medical Center still cooked holiday dinners for Meals on Wheels volunteers to deliver.
Despite obstacles the COVID-19 pandemic has created, Meals on Wheels of Lee's Summit has adjusted.
“When it first started, the first thing I thought was, 'oh my gosh, we’re shut down, we’re not going to be able to do anything,'" said Susie Newsam, board chair for Meals on Wheels of Lee's Summit.
Meals on Wheels put new protocols in place and adjusted its menu in order to serve meals safely.
For the past three years, Terry Kincheloe and his family have spent their Thanksgiving morning delivering meals to people in need.
“It’s such a fun family tradition," Kincheloe said. "We’re so fortunate to get to spend time together every Thanksgiving and some of the clients that we get to see, we may be the only person they see during the day."
With masks, gloves and a truck full of food, the Kincheloes made their first stop at Thelma Speers' home, a long-time client of Meals on Wheels.
“I love it, that’s a wonderful program. I appreciate it very much," Speers said.
With her family on the West Coast, Speers told 41 Action News her Thanksgiving Day plans consisted of staying home, watching football and not having to cook for herself.
“Well, I don’t have to worry about getting something to eat and I don’t have to go out to get it, so at my age now, I’m 91, it’s just wonderful," Speers said.
In the past, the need for meals was not as great as it is now. On Thursday, Meals on Wheels of Lee's Summit delivered more than 70 meals. Last year, the need was less than half.
“Our client head count has increased and we’re always, as we always say, needing volunteers to help deliver," Newsam said.
To learn more about Meals on Wheels of Lee's Summit or to volunteer, click here.
