Douglas County Honors Senior Meal Program Volunteers at Winston Luncheon
Douglas County honored volunteers who help serve and deliver meals to seniors at a Sept. 23 luncheon in Winston. Together, Senior Nutritional Services volunteers gave 14,586 hours of service in 2025-26.
The people who deliver meals and welcome older adults to community lunches across Douglas County were the guests of honor at a Sept. 23 luncheon at Wildlife Safari in Winston.
Douglas County Senior Services held the event to recognize volunteers with its Meals on Wheels programs and Bistro Sixty dining sites in Sutherlin, Glendale, Winston, Glide, Yoncalla, and Riddle. Commissioners Tom Kress and Chris Boice joined them.
The county said its Senior Nutritional Services program served 82,155 meals at seven dining sites during the past year. Volunteers contributed 14,586 hours in 2025-26, including:
- Sutherlin: 4,925 hours
- Riddle: 2,885 hours
- Winston: 2,432 hours
- Reedsport: 2,081 hours
- Glide: 1,157 hours
- Glendale: 862 hours
- Yoncalla: 244 hours
The meals matter, but so does the time spent with the people receiving them, Senior Services Director Jeanne Wright said in a county news release.
“Our mission is about so much more than nutrition. It’s about combatting isolation, preserving independence, and providing peace of mind to families who know their loved ones are being checked on,” Wright said.
She said the county regularly receives notes of thanks from clients. A volunteer’s visit may be the only contact a senior has with another person that day or even that week.
Kress thanked the volunteers for their service, and volunteers received appreciation certificates recognizing their work at their respective sites. The county also presented certificates to S&B Foods for donating the luncheon and Wildlife Safari for its continued support of the event.
The gathering included a visit from Wildlife Safari’s ambassador cheetah and complimentary train rides through the park. Douglas County Senior Services plans to hold a separate recognition luncheon later this year for volunteers with its Reedsport-area meal programs.
Information about senior services and volunteer opportunities is available on the Douglas County Senior Services website.
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