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Eaton resident Ginger Zech was only a few months into retirement from the corporate world when a volunteer opportunity with the Weld County Friendly Fork Program came knocking at her door. She thought volunteering would give her a sense of purpose beyond what her garden flowers and workout classes could provide, but what she didn’t expect was the sense of community she’d feel by serving meals weekly at the Eaton Recreation Center.
"The Friendly Fork program really brings people together,” Zech explained. "We provide a good meal and a place to visit, and truly that is what it is all about, being there for each other, especially when we need to be picked up a little bit.
"We have had people who have lost their spouses and look forward to coming in and being around a community that cares for them,” Zech said. “I was not aware of the sense of fulfillment it would bring me when I started. I just wanted to help any way I could, and now this place has become my second home and family."
Offered through the Area Agency on Aging (AAA), Friendly Fork is the congregate senior nutrition program for Weld County. Its mission is to provide nutritional, social and educational services to older adults while connecting them to supportive services to keep them independent and self-sufficient. It offers nutritious lunches for older adults throughout the county. There is a $4 suggested donation for those who are eligible and a $14 fee for those who are not. In order to be eligible to dine with the Friendly Fork, you have to be at least 60 years of age, be a spouse of a person at least 60 years of age, or under the age of 60 and currently residing in a subsidized housing complex that offers a Friendly Fork meal.
Nutrition is vital to our health and well-being, especially as we age. Sometimes older adults lack access to the high-quality, nutritious food they need to remain healthy and independent. Friendly Fork helps promote healthy eating, decreases social isolation and supports overall better health. Each meal meets 1/3 of the daily recommended dietary allowance. A registered dietitian through AAA is also on staff to answer any nutrition questions and to provide educational services.
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While the purpose of Friendly Fork may be to provide older adults nutritious food, the conversation and friendly laughter that accompanies each meal provides attendees with something far greater: friendships and a sense of belonging with others who are navigating new chapters of life as they age.
“Being able to be with my friends is a big deal to me,” said Elfie Kassahn, a regular attendee at the Milliken Friendly Fork meal site. Friendly Fork is critical in giving her a social outlet that may not otherwise be possible. “Because I do not drive anymore, I wouldn’t have much of a social life.”
Kassahn went on to explain how she gets a ride from a fellow attendee and has really built up a sense of comradery within the Friendly Fork program. After lunch, she and about 10 other attendees stay for card games and sometimes they even “close the place down,” as Kassahn would say, staying until the building closes at 5 p.m. Keep in mind that lunch starts at 11 a.m.
The senior nutrition program, or Friendly Fork, was started in Weld County in 1976. The national senior nutrition program was initiated a few years prior under the Older Americans Act. The senior nutrition program is the largest and most visible federally funded community-based nutrition program for older adults.
“The Friendly Fork meal program consists of 23 meal sites throughout the county with some meal sites serving one meal a week while others serve five. In the summer, two locations even offer dinner once a week. The Area Agency on Aging has partnered with multiple senior centers, recreation centers, community centers and churches to host the program. Without the help of the town/city staff and the generous help of 300 volunteers, this program wouldn’t be able to happen at this capacity,” explained Meredith Skoglund, Friendly Fork supervisor with Weld County AAA.
The success of the Friendly Fork program relies heavily on the dedication and commitment of its volunteers. Volunteers are trained by both AAA staff and the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment on food safety to run each meal site. They support every aspect of the program, from site coordinators handling the administrative work to kitchen teams setting up, serving and cleaning up after meals.
"The program offers a chance for older adults to also hear about supportive services they might not know about and see what's going on at their community meal site. It's a chance to get out and socialize and see what resources are available," Skoglund said. "We have brought in folks from the Alzheimer's Association, The American Association of Retired Persons, and 60 Plus Ride. Periodically throughout the year, we also provide activities for attendees like bingo or arts and crafts.”
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It's been five years since Friendly Fork began at the Eaton Community Center. Zech, being there since the very beginning, has no plans of retiring from volunteering just yet.
"It's the people that keep me coming back. I just really like being around people, and you know when I am home, I don't get that kind of interaction. Volunteering has given me that outlet and a sense of purpose I didn't know I was missing or needed," Zech said, smiling. "We even hang out outside of Friendly Fork or ‘work,’ as I call it.”
It didn’t take long before those friendships were highlighted as Zech mentioned her next volunteer effort with one of the many people she’s met at Friendly Fork.
“Phyllis and I will be making various candy this year for the holidays, and I can't wait," she said.
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Meal sites include Birchwood, Broadview, Carbon Valley, Eaton, Erie, Evans, Fort Lupton, Greeley Active Adult Center, Greeley Manor, Greeley Senior Housing, Hill-N-Park, Johnstown, Kersey, LaSalle, Lochbuie, Mead, Milliken, Nunn, Pierce, Platteville, Rodarte Center, Wattenberg and Windsor. Site information, monthly menus, and volunteer opportunities can be found at www.weldaaa.org under the Friendly Fork tab.
By Kristen Sigg, Weld County Communications Specialist
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