Staff writer

mjones@observer-reporter.com

The price of gasoline keeps rising, but that isn't stopping the volunteer drivers who deliver daily meals to people unable to cook for themselves.

The dozens of drivers for the Meals on Wheels program in Washington and Greene counties are being rewarded for their work and will receive gasoline gift cards through a $5,000 gift from the "Pay it Forward" program.

The "Pay it Forward" program, sponsored by the Observer-Reporter and Washington Federal Bank, received 173 entries for organizations that could use the $5,000 award. The entries included helping food banks, animal shelters, churches, individual families with medical bills or creating programs to raise money for nonprofit organizations.

A seven-person panel on Tuesday awarded the $5,000 to the Meals on Wheels programs in Washington and Greene counties and it will be divided on a per capita basis. The community also voted on the O-R's Web site, casting a total of 4,200 votes between May 4 and Saturday.

Three people submitted Meals on Wheels as a worthy program for the award. The money will be distributed to volunteer drivers in both counties in the form of gasoline gift cards.

Gary Ford of Lone Pine said his 83-year-old mother, Helen, suggested the money go to the program to help the drivers, who are not compensated for fuel. She volunteers at the Waynesburg Senior Citizens Center and helps prepare meals for dine-in and transport, her son said.

"Right away, she said gas cards for the drivers," Gary Ford said. "I think these volunteer drivers are doing such a good thing, but they're really hurting because of these high gas prices, just like everyone else. This is the only human contact for these (meal recipients) on a daily basis."

A former volunteer, Bernadette Malinak, also submitted Meals on Wheels. She said it was expensive for drivers several years ago even before gas prices spiked, but it still is important to interact with the recipients.

"We make the meals, deliver it, check on them, converse with them," Malinak said. "Sometimes you're there 15 or 20 minutes to make sure they're OK."

Jerie Drupp of Aging Services of Washington County, which oversees one of the Meals on Wheels programs, said many drivers can no longer afford to volunteer.

"A few of our clients give occasional donations, but the people who drive are paying mostly out of their own pockets," Drupp said.

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