PA Department of Aging Secretary Presents Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County Volunteer With State Volunteer Spotlight Award
Allentown, PA, April, 2016 – At Meals on Wheels Lehigh County 45th Anniversary and Volunteer Celebration, PA Department of Aging Secretary presented one of seven State Volunteer Spotlight Awards to Betty Duffy, 89, of Whitehall.
“This is the third year that we are acknowledging the selfless efforts of ordinary people who accomplish the extraordinary through volunteer service and motivate others to follow their lead,” said Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne. “It’s a privilege to recognize their commitment to serving older Pennsylvanians in their local communities. Their willingness to share their time and talent makes a difference. Betty has truly made a difference to hundreds of people through her 45 years of service to Meals on Wheels and her other volunteer work.”
Betty Duffy has been a volunteer with Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County since the program first began on February 1st 1971. Turning ninety this September, she is one of only three remaining “originals” who have been with the Agency since our inception. Volunteering on the same route for forty-five years, she has driven 31,165 miles; donated 4,298 hours, made over 25,000 visits; and delivered more than 50,000 meals.
Betty also volunteers for the Whitehall Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels of Northampton County, and St. John’s Evangelical Church and is a long-standing blood donor at Miller-Keystone Blood Center.
Dawn Stillwagen, Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County Volunteer Coordinator said: “As Betty approaches her ninetieth birthday, her level of involvement in the community shows no sign of lessening. She is a wonderful example of how much one person can accomplish when motivated by love, compassion and a profound desire to improve the lives of others. We are honored to know her and our community is a better place for her presence.”
Each weekday, Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County, a nonprofit agency, serves 450 homebound seniors and adults with disabilities living throughout Lehigh County. 912 individual and group volunteers deliver about 168,000 meals each year; almost seven million since 1971. Volunteers also provide a social connection and a well-being check. The Agency also offers grocery shopping services to more than 100 clients. For more information, visit www.mealsonwheelslc.org.
Press release and photos photos provided by:
Michele Grasso, MPA
Development Director
Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County
4234 Dorney Park Rd.
Allentown, PA 18104
