SENIOR MOMENTS
brought to you by
Meals on Wheels and
Senior Outreach
Services

925-937-8311
www.mowsos.org
IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome New Volunteers
Words We Live By
We Need You!
Tributes and Memorials
AmazonSmile
Media
Leave A Legacy
Upcoming Events
Available Resources
Awards and Recognition
MOWSOS Anniversary Gala
Healthy Bites
About Town
WELCOME NEW VOLUNTEERS

Meals on Wheels


Bob Brockman
Maureen Ellis
Karla Grandino-King
Aujenee Johnson
Suresh Kamath
Valerie Kirkland
Kim McCreary
Alison Padilla
Dominic Pisciotto
Gwennie Preston
Debra Roland
Martha Wedl

C. C. Cafés

Jeff Hanson
Jennifer Giarmita
Manuel Plaza
Kathleen Conley
Friendly Visitors

Dante DaRodda
Andrea Pixton
Navreet Virk
WORDS WE
LIVE BY


"I can't stand up too long, can't chop vegetables and cook things, I can't drive myself. I can't take care of myself the way I used to. I had lost 54 lbs because I couldn't get anything to eat. This (Meals on Wheels) became one of the main things that got back my health.

The volunteers were absolutely wonderful, just like a friend, somebody you always knew. I wouldn't be up and around but they waited and a lot of times they called me to make sure I was OK.

This is like a whole new life for me. All of this - the things I have gotten, I never knew they were possible."

Arthur R.
MOWSOS client,
Vietnam vet,
Martinez

EAST COUNTY WE NEED YOU!

East County cities of Antioch, Bay Point and Pittsburg are in dire need of regular and substitute Meals on Wheels volunteer delivery drivers!

If you have two hours, one day per week, you can make a difference in the life of an East County senior. 

Meals are picked up in Antioch weekdays around 10am, and routes typically take about 2 hours to complete. You can pick the day that works best for you! 

To learn more about volunteering for MOWSOS, please contact Volunteer Specialist Tracey Blackmore at 925-954-8736 or at tblackmore@mowsos.org.
 
Click here  to go to the MOWSOS website.

Click here to complete an online volunteer application.
 
 Thank you so much for your support!
TRIBUTES AND MEMORIALS

Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services (MOWSOS) recently received donations in honor of:

Concord C.C. Café
Letizia Dale
Robert and Evelyn Daniels
Claudia Dimimitt and other Seniors
Paul Gee
Oscar Lottman
Leah McIntosh
Pam Shaw and Bill Nevin

MOWSOS recently received donations in memory of these individuals.

Our deepest condolences to the families and friends of:

Raul N. Arana
Richard Arnold, MOWSOS Volunteer
Rudolph Cisar
Doris Cecil
Sarah Dunlop
Geraldine Fink
John Dewey Jones, MOWSOS Volunteer
Lester H. Kukuk
Fred Lange
Shawn Morrissey
Jean O'Neil
Gopal & Suman Ranade
Aunt Mary Lou Sullivan
Virginia Opena Swezey
Val's Mother
AmazonSmile


When completing your shopping on Amazon, use Amazon Smile and pick Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services as your charity of choice. Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to our organization.

Make your purchases count, visit smile.amazon.com!

MEDIA

Featuring partners in the community - including MOWSOS C.E.O.,
Elaine Clark

Helping Bring Some 'Balance' to Prevent Falls
Good Neighbors Column

Featuring Fall Prevention Program Manager,
Alayne Balke
LEAVE A LEGACY

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we are eligible to receive bequests.

Please contact Erica Marcus at emarcus@mowsos.org
or 925-937-8315.
 
UPCOMING EVENTS

Home Maintenance
for the elderly,
locations throughout county
Saturday, November 18
To schedule an appointment, call
(888) 204-5573

Senior Walk to kick off Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Friday, November 3
9:00am-11:00am
Somersville Towne Center
2550 Somersville Road,
Antioch

Save the Date

MOWSOS 2nd Annual Poker Tournament
Saturday, February 24
6:00pm-11:00pm
Shell Clubhouse, 
Martinez
*more info to follow


MOWSOS
50th Anniversary Gala
Saturday, May 12
Blackhawk Auto Museum,
Danville
*click above link for more information
AVAILABLE
   RESOURCES   

Contra Costa County Information & Assistance

 
Contra Costa Crisis Center
  
Advisory Council on Aging
 
 Get Your Vaccinations

 Contra Costa Health Services Department
 
www.cchealth.org
 
Contra Costa Crisis Center
 
www.211database.org


AWARDS AND RECOGNITION


 
If you have suggestions for our newsletter or would like to contribute a quote, photo, or story, please contact:

Susannah Meyer

Community Engagement Director

Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services

925-937-8311 x104

smeyer@mowsos.org

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

1300 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

925-937-8311
mowsos.org

Issue 5, Volume 10
October 2017
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As I write this, fires are burning across the state. All of us are affected either directly or indirectly through friends, family, or just knowing that catastrophes can strike anytime, anywhere.

As we make it through these challenging times, please remember to check on the older adults you know - even if they are far from the fires themselves. News of disasters and fear of the unknown can increase anxiety among all of us, and especially among the frail, elderly, and homebound. Reassurance - a friendly gesture, a kind word - can be a lifeline.

We will continue to post information on our social media sites.

Sincerely,
 
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Fall Prevention - Thank You!
Fall Prevention Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser and Resource Fair

Thanks to all of you who attended, bought raffle tickets or made donations to our 6th annual Fall Prevention Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser and Resource Fair  on October 1st! 

It was a well-attended event that provided valuable information and support, including blood pressure screenings and flu shots from Rite Aid pharmacy staff. Pleasant Hill Mayor Michael Harris and Supervisor Karen Mitchoff helped host the event and entertained kids with another rousing pancake flipping contest. The event raised over $15,000, which will help us provide home safety modifications for at-risk seniors in our county.

The morning would not have been as big a success without the support of our sponsors! The Andreason Group at Morgan Stanley, a wealth management company in Walnut Creek and longtime advocates of MOWSOS, was a tremendous support as Title Sponsor. 

Please see a full list of all our champions below and join us in thanking them for helping us to have such a successful event.

*See 'About Town' section below for a sample of event photos, courtesy of Lisa Franklin Photography.



To find out more about our Fall Prevention Program, or to make a donation to help seniors stay fall-safe, please contact Alayne Balke, Fall Prevention Program Manager at (925) 891-4761 or abalke@mowsos.org.

A Habit of Giving
Able Auto Charity Donations

A few months ago, Jean Manahan was reading the local newspaper and saw an advertisement about vehicle donations. She had been thinking about donating her 2000 Mercury Sable and was thrilled to see that Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services (MOWSOS) was one of the charities listed in the ad.

The Able Auto Charity ad - published daily in the East Bay Times, the San Jose Mercury News, and the Marin Independent Journal. 
Jean worked at MOWSOS from 1979 -1997.  She had different roles over the years but her favorite was when she held the position of Volunteer Coordinator. After she retired, Jean and her husband Carl, a World War II vet, became volunteers for MOWSOS and delivered meals in Pittsburg. She still thinks about many of the seniors to whom she and Carl delivered meals.

"I cannot forget Fred and Justine, Harold and Mary and so many others," Jean remembers. "They shared their histories and wisdom with us. Many of them built our community. They were teachers, nurses, contractors, librarians and business owners. We brought meals to former school board members and city councilmen.  I used to wonder what our lives would have been like without their contributions. Now, they need us." 

Jean called Able Auto immediately. "They made the process easy. They came to pick up the car, provided me with the paperwork I needed and a few weeks later MOWSOS sent me a thank you for the donation." 

If you would like to learn more about donating your car, contact Erica Marcus, Donor Relations Manager, at (925) 937-8315 or emarcus@mowsos.org, or call Able Auto Charity at (877) 977-9577.

MOWSOS 50th Anniversary Gala


Healthy Bites
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Air Quality Awareness

With fires spreading throughout California, Bay Area air quality has reached record dangerous zones. All are affected, but it is especially critical that the elderly and those with respiratory illnesses take precautions. 

Sparetheair.org shares information about air quality by location, with updates issued daily by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Among their recommendations:
  • Stay aware of local news coverage and health warnings.
  • Avoid physical outside activities and don't let children play outdoors.
  • Keep indoor air as secure and clean as possible.
  • Run home and car air conditioner.
  • Follow doctor's directions about asthma or other lung disease.
  • Talk to your doctor about whether you need to leave the area.
Click links below to learn more:



 About Town

Sixth annual Fall Prevention Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser and Resource Fair vendors sharing resource information with guests of the October 1st event. Full list of vendors and supporters in Fall Prevention article block above. Photo courtesy of Lisa Franklin Photography.



Pleasant Hill Mayor, Michael Harris, playing pancake flipping games with guests of all ages at the 6th annual Fall Prevention Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser and Resource Fair. Photo Courtesy of Lisa Franklin Photography.
Multi-generational guests enjoying pancakes and fun at the 6th annual Fall Prevention Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser and Resource Fair. Photo courtesy of Lisa Franklin Photography.

MOWSOS Chief Executive Officer, Elaine Clark (2nd from left), with former MOWSOS Board Chairman, John Judd, CHF Executive Director, Lillian Roselin, and former CHF Chairman, Susan Woods were featured in a video shown at the John Muir/Mt. Diablo Community Health Fund event celebrating 20 years of grant making in the community.

Fall Prevention Program Manager, Alayne Balke, accepts a proclamation from the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in honor of National Falls Prevention Awareness Week, which occurs annually the 3rd week in September.
MOWSOS staff, volunteers, and client, Hazel, at the Meet and Greet Ice Cream Social and Volunteer Information event, held at The Commons at Dallas Ranch in Antioch. Guests enjoyed ice cream with all the fixings and learned more about becoming a volunteer for MOWSOS in East County. Photo courtesy of Frank Severa.

Dexter Hall of Wells Fargo presenting "Protect Yourself from Fraud" to guests at the Pittsburg C.C. Cafe. Participants learned about identity theft prevention.
Volunteer Specialist, Tracey Blackmore (left) and Nutrition Services Division Manager, Sharon Fitzgerald, at the PG&E Campaign for the Community. 
 
Community Engagement Director, Susannah Meyer (left) and East County Senior Coalition Treasurer, Sydney Anderson, at the Bethel Island Health and Resource Fair.