Today, Sean's grandfather is making Meals on Wheels history. Please read the article below. Grandaddy is truly an inspiration for all of his through is countless hours of service, love, and the gift of himself to all that he knows.
Thank you for being you, Grandaddy! We are so proud of you!
Rufus Woody Delivers The One Millionth Meal
http://www.mealsonwheelsandmore.org/volunteer/rufus-woody-delivers-the-one-millionth-meal
“You look colorful today!” Rufus Woody exclaimed as he walked into Meals on Wheels and More client Fannie Simnacher’s home. Fannie sat at her kitchen table, as she does most days that Rufus visits, wearing a pastel, floral-print dress, waiting patiently for him to deliver her lunch.
Woody should know when Fannie, 97, looks particularly spruced up – he’s been delivering Meals on Wheels and More meals to her for 25 years now, and the two have developed a strong connection over the years.
“One thing about my relationship with Fannie is that if for some reason I was out of town or just not delivering on a particular day, she would call my wife and ask, ‘Is Rufus sick?’” he recalled. “And I thought that was very interesting that she had inquired about my welfare. So now, in the event that I am unable to deliver because I am out of town or something, I am sure to call her ahead of time and tell her so she won’t worry. We are real friends.”
On September 22, 2009, Rufus, one of Meals on Wheels and More’s longest-serving volunteers, delivered the agency’s 1 millionth meal of the year. It is the first time in MOWAM’s 37-year history that 1 million meals have been prepared and distributed in a year’s time.
And it was fitting that Rufus should be the one to make the delivery. A MOWAM volunteer for 25 years, Rufus has given much of his time and energy to helping the homebound elderly and disabled individuals in our community.
After retiring from the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1984, Rufus began accompanying his late wife to work. At the time, she was a volunteer cook for Meals on Wheels in Del Valle. With no space for him in the kitchen, the cooks sent Rufus out on the road to deliver some of the 50-plus meals they were preparing each day back then.
Rufus stuck with MOWAM through more than two decades of growth, taking on as many new clients as he could. When staff members finally noticed that Rufus’ route had grown from 12 clients to 25 clients, they split his route in half and asked him which one he wanted to take.
“And I said I would take them both,” Rufus recalled, saying that he became too attached to the clients on his route to give any of them up. Rufus has seen many clients come and go and has even been around to serve multiple generations. When he started volunteering, he became close with one 94-year-old man, who later passed away. Years later, Rufus began delivering meals to that man’s elderly child.
Fannie is the only person left from Rufus’ original route, and he goes above and beyond to make sure she is taken care of, bringing her stamps when she needs them and taking her recycling to put out with his own every Friday.
“My favorite part [of volunteering] is getting to know the meal recipients and helping them,” he said. “I’ve seen Meals on Wheels grow from a couple hundred clients to now more than 3,000. They never have enough volunteers, so it’s a good way to give back if you can spare an hour.”
Woody should know when Fannie, 97, looks particularly spruced up – he’s been delivering Meals on Wheels and More meals to her for 25 years now, and the two have developed a strong connection over the years.
“One thing about my relationship with Fannie is that if for some reason I was out of town or just not delivering on a particular day, she would call my wife and ask, ‘Is Rufus sick?’” he recalled. “And I thought that was very interesting that she had inquired about my welfare. So now, in the event that I am unable to deliver because I am out of town or something, I am sure to call her ahead of time and tell her so she won’t worry. We are real friends.”
On September 22, 2009, Rufus, one of Meals on Wheels and More’s longest-serving volunteers, delivered the agency’s 1 millionth meal of the year. It is the first time in MOWAM’s 37-year history that 1 million meals have been prepared and distributed in a year’s time.
And it was fitting that Rufus should be the one to make the delivery. A MOWAM volunteer for 25 years, Rufus has given much of his time and energy to helping the homebound elderly and disabled individuals in our community.
After retiring from the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1984, Rufus began accompanying his late wife to work. At the time, she was a volunteer cook for Meals on Wheels in Del Valle. With no space for him in the kitchen, the cooks sent Rufus out on the road to deliver some of the 50-plus meals they were preparing each day back then.
Rufus stuck with MOWAM through more than two decades of growth, taking on as many new clients as he could. When staff members finally noticed that Rufus’ route had grown from 12 clients to 25 clients, they split his route in half and asked him which one he wanted to take.
“And I said I would take them both,” Rufus recalled, saying that he became too attached to the clients on his route to give any of them up. Rufus has seen many clients come and go and has even been around to serve multiple generations. When he started volunteering, he became close with one 94-year-old man, who later passed away. Years later, Rufus began delivering meals to that man’s elderly child.
Fannie is the only person left from Rufus’ original route, and he goes above and beyond to make sure she is taken care of, bringing her stamps when she needs them and taking her recycling to put out with his own every Friday.
“My favorite part [of volunteering] is getting to know the meal recipients and helping them,” he said. “I’ve seen Meals on Wheels grow from a couple hundred clients to now more than 3,000. They never have enough volunteers, so it’s a good way to give back if you can spare an hour.”
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4 comments:
Awesome!! My dad has gotten involved w/ Meals on Wheels since retiring a year ago. He finds it really rewarding, too. Great article!
What a cool story! Thanks for sharing this!
What a wonderful fella!!!!
KEEP ON GRANDDADDY!!!!!
Great story, we need the younger population to get involved as well.
Our aging population is getting larger and Meals on Wheels needs all the support it can get.
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