July 28, 2015 - The Senior Nutrition Site was host to the Center Rotary Club on Tuesday, July 28th for their noon lunch meeting. During the luncheon, Rotary President Anna Lee presented Sherry Harding, Shelby County Outreach Ministries (SCOM) Executive Director, a check for $2,500 from proceeds raised during the recent What-A-Melon Crawl 5K Run/Walk held downtown on July 11th.
Sherry Harding thanked the club for their generous donation and introduced Hazel Beasley who is over the Senior Nutrition Site and the Meals on Wheels program. Harding said, "We serve over 2,000 meals in a month and are reimbursed for about a 1,000 meals. She is 83 and she can work circles around everyone. She brings a lot of skills and abilities. She catered for years at her own business and she puts a lot of love into what she does here and we really appreciate her for what she has done to this site and for the people she serves."
Hazel Beasley spoke briefly about her catering business in Houston and when she came to Shelby County five years ago, "When I came up here, I saw the need of this facility and all having good help. We have come along way; this community has been wonderful." Beasley went on to speak about two fundraisers, the Breakfast Fundraisers, which the Senior Nutrition Site hosts each year to help greatly with funding of the site and the Meals on Wheels program.
The Breakfast Fundraisers are held on the first Saturday in February and in August. However, this August the Senior Nutrition Site decided to move the Breakfast Fundraiser to the second Saturday, August 8th since the first Saturday fell on August 1st. Volunteers and staff members will prepare a large buffet of every breakfast food imaginable including biscuits and gravy, pancakes, waffles, eggs, sausage, bacon, selection of fruit, grits, oatmeal, muffins, and so much more. Beasley invites everyone to come out, bring the family, and enjoy a great breakfast while helping to feed others. The breakfast cost is a monetary donation.
The two breakfast fundraisers help the Senior Nutrition Site and the Meal on Wheels with extra money for food during the entire year. The Center Senior Nutrition site alone serves 900 plus meals a month and the government only funds 1/3 of those meals which is a big shortfall. Beasley said, "It takes the whole community to help us to support [the Senior Nutrition Site and Meals on Wheels] and the seniors are real good... we have a big help from them. I'm so proud to be affiliated with it. We really appreciate all [the Rotary members] coming today and all the help that y'all have given us."
Beasley also described the daily obligations of the Senior Nutrition Site which includes three separate programs. At 10:00am the site sends meals to the San Augustine Senior Nutrition Site, at 10:30am approximately 50 meals go out with the Meals on Wheels program, and at 11:30am meals are served at the Senior Nutrition Site which typically serves 35 to 40.
On a daily basis, the Senior Nutrition Site serves lunches between 11:30am until 12:30pm, Monday through Friday. For seniors a suggested voluntary donation is $3 and includes meal, beverage, and dessert. The Senior Nutrition Site is under the umbrella corporation of Shelby County Outreach Ministries and is located off of Loop 500 in Center at 3580 Loop 500 East. For all others a donation of $6 is suggested. For more information, contact Hazel Beasley at 936-598-7768.
