metro >> on the cover
Wally and Sylvia Kinzer
unpack and date their
meals.
Helping u nrne b oun d
The HV
Kosher Meals on Wheels volunteers are as thankful as those who receive.
Keri Guten Cohen I Story Development Editor
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
one of the Friday crew's three volunteer
chairs. Miller has been volunteering for
36 years with kosher Meals on Wheels
(MOW), a program founded by Esther
Rosenblum through the National Council
of Jewish Women/Greater Detroit Section.
Like Miller, most volunteers are long-
timers with at least 10 years of service;
many have double that. Most of the
women are NCJW members. The men
tend to be drivers and come to the pro-
gram in retirement.
"After I retired, my kids saw I was
bored so they urged me to do some char-
ity work," said Ed Acker of Huntington
Woods, a 15-year volunteer. "It's good to
do. You run into people who are stuck
away in apartments and definitely isolated.
I've developed friendships, and people tell
me about others looking for meals.
"Delivering on Fridays, I always ask
how they are and then wish them a good
Shabbos," he said.
On a recent Friday, Acker sits with other
drivers in the dining room at Prentis
Apartments on the Jewish Community
Campus in Oak Park. They are waiting
for other volunteers to finish packing the
hot Shabbat meal of
roasted chicken, mat-
zah ball soup, kugel,
vegetables, challah and
more. Friday is the
only day hot meals are
delivered; other days
the meals are prepared
Janelle
ahead, refrigerated
and packed on the day Miller
they are needed.
Acker is in no hurry. He's kibitzing with
Sam and Florence Havis of Southfield,
Art Sweet of Farmington Hills and Marcia
Lewis of West Bloomfield. They've had a
bit of cake and coffee;
now they are catching
up with each other
since last Friday.
"We are like a big
family:' Sam said. "We
get to know each other
very well."
Joanne
What they have in
Aronovitz
common is a sense
of satisfaction that
comes with knowing they are helping
those who cannot help themselves, with
knowing they are providing nutritious
kosher meals to those who need them, and
Homebound on page 10
8
November 24 2011