JoAnn Erickson, the owner of Somethin’ Tasty in downtown Lonsdale, provides the meals for Lonsdale’s new meals on wheels program. Meanwhile, State Trooper Eric LaBere picks up the meals for Friday’s delivery.
Top left: State Trooper Eric LaBere puts the meals for Lonsdale’s meals on wheels program into his car, just before hitting the road to make the Friday deliveries. (Colton Kemp photos/southernminn.com)
Back in September, Meals on Wheels in Lonsdale was looking for volunteers to get off the ground.
Now, the program has been going for a some time, and there’s a slightly different roadblock, according to Three Rivers Community Action Project Older Adult Services Coordinator Carla Pearson.
JoAnn Erickson, the owner of Somethin’ Tasty in downtown Lonsdale, provides the meals for Lonsdale’s new meals on wheels program. Meanwhile, State Trooper Eric LaBere picks up the meals for Friday’s delivery.
“We only have two clients,” she said. “I think, if we don’t grow, we’re gonna have to fold.”
Pearson is hopeful that more people will sign up for the service, so it can continue in Lonsdale. She’s confident that more people need it, but simply are unaware of its existence.
Pearson said she’s grateful for the volunteers that signed up so quickly.
“It was very helpful,” she said. “Our volunteer base is really good, but we just need more clients.”
The meals are provided by JoAnn Erickson’s restaurant, Somethin’ Tasty, and the volunteers consist of State Trooper Eric LaBere and members of the Lonsdale Police Department. LaBere said the deliveries aren’t part of his official duties, rather just because it’s a good thing to do.
Top left: State Trooper Eric LaBere puts the meals for Lonsdale’s meals on wheels program into his car, just before hitting the road to make the Friday deliveries. (Colton Kemp photos/southernminn.com)
“I read about the program in the Lonsdale paper,” LaBere said. “So, I just decided to sign up. Then, I reached out to (Lonsdale Police Chief) Jason Schmitz to see if they would be interested in doing it too. We got the Lonsdale PD Group set up, and just take turns doing the deliveries.”
LaBere added that the program has been “up and down,” in terms of clientele. At one point, he believes they had four or five clients, but said it steadily declined.
He said he’s been doing the deliveries since October, when the program began. He also said he’d “love to see more people” taking advantage of the service.
There are five meals delivered every week, two on Monday and Wednesday, one on Friday.
To qualify for the meals on wheels, clients must be 60 years old (if under 60, they must have a disability that prevents them from cooking or going to the store), live within Lonsdale city limits and be homebound. After calling 507-316-0610 or signing up online at www.ThreeRiversCAP.org, clients can “get started in a day,” Pearson said.
