Meals On Wheels rings in season with Bridgeville fundraiser

’Twas the month before Christmas, and Santa had a good beard going.

Dressed in his red-and-white suit and matching cap in mid-November, Al Welle said that he usually just sports a white goatee. But when he was asked to portray St. Nick, he promptly started to grow the rest of the requisite whiskers.

And everyone in the big room at Bridgeville Manor was happy to see ’em.

Welle playing Santa joined another special guest, Lexie Guzel as Disney’s Princess Belle, for the annual craft and vendor show to help launch the holiday season while benefiting South West Meals On Wheels. Plus two gentlemen wearing reindeer horns, Special Olympics athletes Paul Sanker and Ben Stout, added to festive atmosphere.

Some 30 vendors were in attendance to provide opportunities for early shopping, and Jonni Parson of Personality Painting lent her artistic talents to decorating youngsters’ faces.

Also featured at the Nov. 19 event was a “Be a Santa to a Senior Tree,” under which presents could be placed for residents of Bridgeville Manor, an apartment complex for people ages 62 and older.

South West Meals On Wheels serves a similar demographic, with clients receiving food that is made in the Bridgeville Manor kitchen by cook Mari Murphy and her team of volunteers starting at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.

“You can come in one day a month, one day a week, every day. I have people who come in on call,” program manager Candy Mageras said. “Whatever works best for you.”

What works best for her organization is a suitable number of delivery drivers, who normally complete their rounds from about 10:30 a.m. to noon. In some cases, the driver may be the only person a clinet sees during the day.

South West Meals On Wheels is a self-sustaining program that receives no funding from the government, serving people in areas including Bridgeville, Carnegie, Collier, Heidelberg, Mt Lebanon, Scott, South Fayette and Upper St Clair.

Anyone 60 and older qualifies, regardless of income or health. Those under age 60 must be recovering and rehabilitating from an illness, injury or surgery.

Cost for the program is $8 per day which provides two meals, a hot meal and bag lunch. A quart of milk is provided once a week.

For more information, visit www.southwestmealsonwheels.org.