Meals on Wheels note 50 years in Marengo

The Meals on Wheels program in Marengo began Oct. 23, 1972. Initially, the special diet meals were prepared at the Marengo Memorial Hospital while regular meals came from the Iowa Valley Elementary School kitchen.

Today, meals are delivered, hot and balanced, to folks who sign up for delivery in the city limits of Marengo. All meals are prepared in the hospital kitchen and special dietary concerns are addressed. Fifty years ago, the meal cost was 80 cents per regular meal and special dietary meals were 90 cents. All meals were available on a week-to-week basis with deliveries made each weekday.

Though the cost of a meal has gone up, the program is still serving anywhere from eight to 12 residents each day. All of the meals over the 50 years have been delivered daily by volunteers representing the churches in Marengo. Currently those deliveries rotate monthly between St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, St. John’s Lutheran Church, First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church.

The Marengo Senior Dining Site opened in Marengo also in 1972, which allowed folks to gather for their meal and share in fellowship time together. Cards, puzzles and other activities were made available for the participation of those who gathered. That site has been located in many different places in Marengo and is still open each weekday noon at 1083 Court Ave., Marengo.

The meals for the Senior Dining site are prepared at the Belle Plaine Community Center and brought here for distribution. In 1986, the Marengo Senior Dining Site began delivering meals to homes of shut-ins or people in rehab programs. Through this program, there are no special dietary meals. About 12 to 15 Marengo residents receive these meals by delivery every weekday. Likewise, these meals are delivered by community volunteers.

(Editor’s note: Marj Sherman and Julie Alexander, both Marengo, contributed to this article.)