Helping others. That is the legacy that original Meals on Wheels volunteer, Phyllis Burdette passed on to her family. Phyllis’s eldest son, Bob was about 10 years old when she began volunteering for Meals on Wheel of Lehigh County in 1971. She was already very active in the community volunteering with both the Emmaus Library and the historical society. Bob fondly remembers his mother as a person looking to help others. She loved meeting and talking to new people, so being a volunteer with Meals on Wheels seemed like a perfect fit for Phyllis.
For over 30 years, Phyllis delivered not just nutritious meals to homebound seniors in the Lehigh Valley, but she also delivered heartfelt conversation and smiles. Bob recalls that his mother was never one to brag about her volunteer work, but he could tell the positive impact that it made on her heart. Phyllis’s volunteerism and dedication to helping the clients of Meals on Wheel also made a lasting impression on Bob. “As I get older and closer to the age of the Meals on Wheels clients, you can see more clearly the value of the Meals on Wheels program”.
After Phyllis passed away in 2009, Bob decided that he wanted to keep Phyllis’s legacy with Meals on Wheels going. For the past 12 years, Bob and his wife, Bonnie have provided support for the clients that his mother loved so much. This way, they can continue what his mother started – feeding and caring for those in need.