Volunteers say 25° isn't too cold for Meals on Wheels deliveries: 'Just have to bundle up'
The Brief
Brrr! It was 25 degrees outside on Thursday morning when volunteers set out to deliver Meals on Wheels in Dallas.
They said it is even more important for them to be out making deliveries on cold days so they can check on their homebound clients.
They said braving the elements for a short time is well worth it, knowing how grateful the meal recipients are.
DALLAS - Nearly every day, dozens of volunteers and staffers with the Visiting Nurse Association deliver meals to homebound Dallas residents and senior citizens. And on freezing days like Thursday, they need to make sure they take care of themselves too.
Local perspective
The VNA volunteers that FOX 4 spoke to on Thursday morning said delivering Meals on Wheels in freezing conditions is well worth it, knowing how grateful the recipients are.
Oftentimes, they have no other visitors, and many can't get out when it's so cold.
"Our goal is to make sure we deliver these meals every day whether it's hot or cold. So in the winter, you just have to bundle up and deliver those meals," added Chris Culak, the VNA VP Chief of Strategy and Development, who also handles a route in West Dallas.
In addition to a meal, Culak brought some of his clients blankets and space heaters on Thursday. He said it's especially important to check on residents during freezing temperatures to make sure they have heat and running water.
It's obvious to him that braving the elements for a short time goes a long way with his clients.
What they're saying
"They can't get out too cold for a lot of them to get out. So, yeah, it's very important," said David Crisp, a VNA volunteer who handles one of the 325 daily Meals on Wheels routes in Dallas.
It was 25 degrees outside when he began his route on Thursday morning. He said dressing in layers is the key to staying warm when its that cold.
"Lots of shirts and this fleece. I'll put gloves on later and this hat," he said.
"It can be a little painful, a little uncomfortable, but it's not bad. Just gotta be dressed for it," said Mike Friese, another volunteer.
What you can do
Delivering meals is a big operation and the VNA is always in need of volunteers to help out on the routes. If you'd like to help or learn more, visit volunteer.vnatexas.org.
The Source
FOX 4 reporter Alex Boyer gathered details for this story by talking to volunteers with the Visiting Nurse Association in Dallas.
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