South Cariboo Health Foundation president Mary Shennum presented a $5,500 to the Bridge Lake Community School Society's (BLCS) "meals on wheels" program on Feb. 4.
The meals are available to all seniors and low-income people in the South Cariboo, and are stored at the South Cariboo Health Centre. They provide "a good dinner'' for $4.
BLCS spends about four hours cooking some 120 dinners every three weeks or so. A team of around a dozen volunteer cooks includes Lions and Lionesses, as well as BLCS members.
BLCS president Chris Lance said the numbers keep going up.
“In the year ending September 2012, we sold 842 meals; whereas, to September 2013, we sold 1,451 meals, with a further 494 from September to end November – an increase of over 70 per cent. We're selling about 160 dinners a month.”
One reason for the increase is we do a fair amount of meat dishes, Lance added, and the bachelors like that. Shepherd's pie is our best seller, he noted.
“So, we really appreciate the foundation's support, and thank them very, very much. The program could not continue without their help."
Shennum said the foundation supports BLCS' endeavours.
"We think that providing nutritious meals for seniors and low-income people is a very basic health need."