Westmoreland Meals on Wheels programs prepare for winter weather

The weather outside isn’t frightful. At least not yet, and weather predictions say Western Pennsylvania is in for another mild winter.

But volunteers at Delmont Meals on Wheels aren’t taking any chances — they are collecting donations for Winter Weather Kits that will be distributed to all 50 of its recipients this month.

“This is our fourth year distributing them,” said Delmont Meals on Wheels organizer Lois Bowman. “There was some concern that our clients might not have food, or may be in need of basic supplies, if we have a snow day.”

Donations can include soup, macaroni and cheese mix, tea, hot chocolate, oatmeal, crackers, toilet paper and tissues.

Bowman said donations have been pouring in during the past week.

“Last Wednesday, we had about two things in the donation box at the Delmont library,” she said. “Today, it took two car loads to get it all packed up.”

The library will continue to accept donations through Dec. 19, Bowman said.

Shortly after that, the kits will be packed in cloth shopping bags donated by the Walmart in Blairsville.

“Hopefully, we’ll have eight to 10 volunteers putting them together, and we’ll try to get at least four volunteer teams to deliver them,” Bowman said.

Anyone interested in volunteering can email delmontmealsonwheels@gmail.com.

Winter prep kits are not uncommon among Meals on Wheels programs. In Monroeville, the East Suburban Meals on Wheels program gave out Blizzard Bags to its clients in late November, according to coordinator Bob Seidelson.

“We get our meals from Forbes Hospital, and their administration takes up a project every year to collect the items for the Blizzard Bags,” Seidelson said.

In Murrysville, Meals on Wheels coordinator Lynn Staab is waiting on their winter weather kits, which come from volunteers in local Girl Scout troops as well as the Franklin Regional cheerleading program.

“We’ll deliver those to our clients on Jan. 10,” Staab said.

At the Latrobe Meals on Wheels program, which also covers part of Derry, coordinator Kay Elder has plenty of food on hand, but she’s looking for drivers.

“A couple of our drivers go to Florida in the cold months, and some others can’t or don’t want to drive in the snow,” Elder said. “We need people who are willing to do deliveries and also who can fill in for people when they aren’t able to do deliveries.”

Volunteers in the Latrobe area can call Ellen Piper at 724-309-6653. Those in the Derry area can call Ellen Keefe at 724-961-3471.

Bowman said she loves seeing people willing to help out, especially this time of year.

“This community is so giving, it’s just amazing,” she said.