In February 1971, Betty walked into a small community meeting at the invitation of her church pastor. The topic was a new program starting in Lehigh County: Meals on Wheels. She listened, said yes and never looked back.
Now, 54 years later, Betty is still part of the Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley (MOWGLV) family. She’s our longest-serving volunteer, and at 99 years old, she continues to inspire us all.
What began as a simple act of service has grown into a lifetime of dedication. Betty started on Route 24 in Lehigh County, delivering meals faithfully while raising her children, often bringing them along for the ride. In 1985, her daughter Lana picked up her own route. The two now deliver together every week, carrying on a family tradition rooted in kindness, compassion and community.
In 2012, Meals on Wheels America named Betty the “Volunteer of the Year,” a well-deserved national recognition. In the 13 years since, she’s logged thousands more miles, delivered thousands more meals and touched countless lives.
If you ask Betty what’s kept her going all these years, her answer is simple: the people.
“I’ve built so many friendships over the years,” said Betty. “You don’t always know what someone is going through, but when you show up with a meal and a smile, it makes a difference for them and for you.”
Betty has always gone above and beyond. For many years, she worked the night shift every other weekend, but still made time to deliver on Monday mornings, often by staying awake after long shifts so she wouldn’t miss her route. Even after a fall two years ago required her to start using a walker, her first concern wasn’t for herself. It was that she could no longer deliver meals to the door. She still rides along every week, even if she can’t personally bring the meals to each doorstep anymore.
And still, after five decades of service, she says, “I wish I could do more.”
Betty had this to say about her secret to a long, joy-filled life: “Stay active, help people and eat chocolate every day.”
We’re proud to celebrate Betty. She reminds us that a single act of kindness, done again and again with love, becomes a legacy.
Interested in learning more about MOWGLV volunteers? Read Bonnie’s story at mowglv.org/volunteer-spotlight-bonnie/.