The Sunday Sun, September 28, 2014
5B
Driving Miss Erroude Non-profit helps residents with their errands B y NATALIE TOWNSEND To Eva Erroude, Milt Martin, a Faith in Action volunteer, is more than just a driver. On Tuesday mornings, Mr. Martin rolls into Sun City and picks Ms. Erroude up in his pristine Toyota Camry for her weekly trip to the grocery store. Over time, the two have become friends. “I give him a hard time, but I think we have some fun together, but all the other drivers are really fantastic,” Ms. Erroude said. “He is one of my regulars and my favorites.” Faith in Action volunteers help seniors like Ms. Erroude remain independent by driving them to doctor appointments, grocery stores, banks and other errands. The non-profit has escorted Ms. Erroude around town for about three years. Mr. Martin joined Faith in Action last August. After retiring, Mr. Martin was looking to occupy his time and chose to volunteer for the non-profit. He has logged almost 500 rides this year. “I looked for volunteer opportunities,” Mr. Martin said. “I like to drive and meet people, so it was a perfect fit for me.” There are about 175 volunteers with the organization, although more are always needed, said Rita Handley, executive director for Faith in Action. Faith in Action offers volunteers flexibility — drivers can look at a spreadsheet of requested pick-up dates and times, and create their schedule accordingly. To many Faith in Action clients, these volunteer drivers not only provide them freedom to travel, but are also “my source of communication and my social network,” Ms. Erroude said. Her once-a-week excursions with Faith in Action are her only outings. She has no family in the area. “I live off [the drivers’] adventures and their trips,” Ms. Erroude said. “That’s one of the things I enjoy because whenever I go on one of my
Courtesy photo of Brad Stutzman
Photos by Natalie Townsend
Milt Martin and Eva Erroude talk as they walk to the H-E-B on Williams Drive. Below, Ms. Erroude smiles at Mr. Martin, who volunteers for Faith in Action.
Williamson-Burnet County Opportunities executive director Diana Phillips spoke earlier this month at a Cedar Park Kiwanis Club meeting. She stands third from the right, along with Carl Starnes, Bill Moore, Bruce Schremp, Boyd Fry, Fred Grampp, Edna Hill, Jan Duggan and Diane Kirkhuff.
Outdated Meals on Wheels facility prompts site search By BRAD STUTZMAN
necessary drives, whoever takes me has either come off a trip or is going on a trip. So since I can’t go anywhere, that’s how I travel.” An additional benefit of Faith in Action compared to other senior transportation programs is the reliability of the drivers; clients are able to return home after their errands. For example, Capital Area Rural Transportation System buses get riders from point A to point B, but seniors must wait for the bus to go home, Mr. Martin said. Ms. Erroude and Mr. Martin have worked out their own system. While Ms. Erroude strolls through the aisles at the H-E-B on Williams Drive, Mr. Martin relaxes at a table and reads novels. “I don’t know what other drivers do, but I always wait for the people,” Mr. Martin said. “I’ve got my Kindle and I just read while I’m waiting, so I tell them, ‘Take as long as you need. I don’t care, I’m just reading.’”
Sometimes when Ms. Erroude has finished an errand, she will bring Mr. Martin back a treat. “If I go to the bank, then I pick up some cookies for him,” Ms. Erroude said. Faith in Action is hosting “An Enchanted Evening” October 4 from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Sun City Ballroom, 2 Texas Drive. With a $15 donation, participants can dance to music by The Lone Star Swing Syndicate and help fund transportation for seniors like Ms. Erroude. Last year, Faith in Action provided nearly 6,000 rides, Ms. Handley said. “To me, it [Faith in Action] means being able to live in Sun City,” Ms. Erroude said. “I wouldn’t be able to live here if I didn’t have Faith in Action and you get to meet the nicest people — except for ... you know —” Ms. Erroude nods at Mr. Martin and he laughs. natalie@wilcosun.com
Williamson-Burnet County Opportunities executive director Diana Phillips is looking forward to the upcoming 50th anniversary of the non-profit she leads. But while 50 years of service is a landmark for Meals on Wheels and Williamson-Burnet County Opportunities’ other programs, some other numbers just aren’t adding up. At its 351 N. Bagdad Road center in Leander, the senior nutrition program’s cooks prepare 300 meals each weekday for home deliveries, congregate lunches and Head Start children in the portable buildings next door. All this takes place within a historic — but cramped — 400-square-foot building where a couple of dozen seniors gather daily for their mid-day meal and other activities. “We need your help,” Ms. Phillips recently told the members of the Cedar Park Kiwanis Club. “We are looking for a new facility for this center.” Annually, the Meals on Wheels program serves and delivers more than 100,000 hot, nutritious lunches five days a week to senior citi-
zens throughout Williamson and Burnet counties. In addition to the Bagdad Road site in Leander, lunches are delivered from senior and neighborhood centers in Georgetown, Round Rock, Taylor and Burnet. Through its combination of home deliveries and onsite congregate lunches, the Bagdad Road facility serves about 100 seniors each weekday. When bad weather is in the forecast — such as the ice storms this past winter — volunteer drivers supply their senior clients with shelf-stable foods. In addition to serving seniors who eat at the Bagdad Road center, cooks also prepare meals that are delivered to clients throughout Leander, Cedar Park and Liberty Hill. Addressing the weekly Kiwanis Club meeting at Church of the Savior in Cedar Park, Ms. Phillips painted a picture of an average Meals on Wheels client. That person, Ms. Phillips said, is typically an 85-yearold woman who lives alone and takes five or more medications daily. Almost 40 percent of Meals on Wheels clients exist on household incomes of less than $20,000 per year.
“Typically, they are referred by a doctor or caregiver who is looking after them,” Ms. Phillips explained. “We have some that are on the program for a short time — they may have had surgery — but we also have clients on it for a longer time.” In addition to delivering hot lunches, the Meals on Wheels drivers also build relationships with the people they serve. “They get to know them,” Ms. Phillips said. “They are kind of like family.” While the Bagdad Road facility has served good purposes, Ms. Phillips said the 125-year-old building has seen better days. There is no air conditioning in the kitchen; restroom facilities are inadequate, and the building is in need of major, expensive repairs. “If you hear of anything or know of anything…we are looking for a restaurant that is closed, or just a facility with good parking,” Ms. Phillips said. Ms. Phillips may be contacted at the Williamson-Burnet County Opportunities office in Georgetown at 512-763-1400 ext. 41 or at dphillips@wbco.net. society@wilcosun.com
Birds stop in for winter season
T
he long, hot days of summer are rapidly receding as I sit on my back porch this early September morning. For some reason, I have procrastinated on writing this article, and many other things, but fate has seemingly thrust upon me the inspiration to write. So here goes! Sitting on the back porch enjoying the water feature I installed last spring, I was surprised to see a dozen American robins scurrying around, vying for a chance to bath and drink from it. Now robins — one of the most ubiquitous species found across North America from Alaska to Florida and Maine to California as well as Canada and even into central Mexico — are definitely not a rare sighting here in Georgetown. However, it does seem early. Last fall and winter, the virtual lack of robins was conspicuous. Winter in Central Texas generally brings large flocks here to feast on bugs and berries during this period. What I was struck by was the sizable number in just my yard. I am certain that these birds were seizing the opportunity to ride the cold fronts heading our way. Within minutes of the influx of robins, a sizable quantity of Northern orioles
Legal Notices
Photos by Jim Hailey
Birds are starting to visit for the winter months. Top, the American robin. Above right, the Northern oriole. Right, the lesser goldfinch. Above, the black-crested titmouse.
CITATION BY PUBLIC NOTICE WILLIAMSON COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS The Williamson County Commissioners’ Court requests sealed Proposals for: LEASE OF BELFORD SQUARE PROPERTY AT 310 W. 7TH STREET, SUITE 103, GEORGETOWN, TEXAS 78626 15RFP107
BIRD TAILS Jim Hailey joined them around the waterfall and awaited their turn in the cooling flow. Now, I was definitely excited as these birds are clearly moving south ahead of the approaching front, so I must be witnessing a significant migration. Within minutes, a male Wilson’s warbler joined the group, not to bathe but to search the surrounding shrubbery for insects. In addition, several resident species soon joined the water party: black-crested titmouse, Northern mockingbird, a pair of lesser goldfinches, the usual Northern cardinals and a Carolina chickadee. However, I also took notice of what was conspicuously missing from the picture:
hummingbirds. I have had a small contingent of hummers for the past several days, but they too have taken advantage of the weather and headed further south. So, the moral to this story is, it’s time to put out your feeders and prepare for the arrival of our wintering species. Fall and winter offer some of the best birding opportunities of the year here in Central Texas. Don’t miss it! You can check out the Williamson Audubon Group webpage at www.meetup.com/ williamsonaudubongroup for dates and times of the many field trips they provide the public from September through May each year. P. S. I want to conclude this article with an apology to one of our readers. Last month, I received an email with an information request about feeding hummingbirds. I apologize for my inability to respond. I accidentally deleted your email before I could answer. Please resend it to me and I will be more careful this time. Jim Hailey is president and field trip leader for the Texas Ornithological Society. He has been a birder for more than 25 years. Direct questions or comments to irasciblej@gmail. com.
Proposals will be publicly The Williamson County opened in the Williamson Commissioners Court re- County Purchasing De-serves the right to accept partment, 901 South Austin the best Proposal for the Ave, Georgetown, Texas on property unit as deemed by Tuesday, October 21, 2014 the Court, or reject any at 3:00 pm. Proposals must and/or all Proposals. be received on or before Issued by order of the Wil- Tuesday, October 21, 2014 liamson County Commis- sioners Court on Septem- at 3:00 pm. Proposal documents can ber 23, 2014; Dan A. Gattis, County be found on-line at: http://wilco-online.org/eb- Judge ids/bids.aspx PUBLIC NOTICE All questions concerning The Round Rock ISD will be this project shall be direct- accepting sealed bids for: ed to Gary Wilson, (512) Energy Conservation Con- 943-1636, E-mail: sultant - Bid # PA15-048 gwilson@wilco.org.
Opens 2:00pm, October 21, 2014 Solicitation will be opened at, and documents may be ob- tained from the RRISD Pur- chasing Dept, 16255 Great Oaks Dr Ste 200, Round Rock, TX 78681, (512) 4646950 or at www.roundrockisd.org. Ven- dors are encouraged to reg- ister in the District’s eROC Electronic Procurement Pro- gram online at http:// www.roundrockisd.org/in- dex.aspx?page=2348 for fu- ture bid opportunities.
Continued on 7B.