By Ritchie Starnes
News Editor
Although the facility is not new, the Norwood nutrition site recently hosted an Open House for the community.
The nutrition site at the Norwood Community Building on Turner Street has been operational. Only few frequent the site so organizers decided to spark more interest with a call for an Open House, which included snacks and games of bingo along with prizes and music after lunch.
“This is more than a meal. It’s also socialization,” said Joy Richardson, nutrition supervisor. “Most of those who come are retired and this is an opportunity for them to get out and be around others.”
Ironically, even the games and music are not new to the lunchtime festivities. Every weekday includes a different meal for lunch and activities. One day might be line dancing and another scheduled for yoga. Sometimes they simply walk.
Norwood officials recognize the value of the service to town residents.
“Seniors who reside in Norwood not only have the piece of mind of knowing they have a fresh warm nutritious meal available Monday through Friday, but they also have the opportunity to engage in educational and recreational activities following their meal,” said John Mullis, town administrator. “This extended benefit directly translates to an enhanced quality of life offering for our senior residents.”
Stanly County Senior Services provides four nutrition sites around the county: Albemarle, Locust, Oakboro and Norwood.
“We’re not sure everyone knows about it,” Richardson said. “That’s why we’re holding an open house.”
Seniors 60 and older are invited to partake in the lunchtime meal, catered by Punchy’s Diner in Concord, and the various recreational activities and fellowship. Meals are served each weekday at 11:30 a.m. Meals are donation-based for those age 60 and over.
“They can make a donation, but it’s not required. It doesn’t affect their service,” Richardson said.
Reservations are required for the meals so organizers can ensure there is enough food on hand at the sites.
Through the nutrition sites, Senior Services provides about 170 meals daily. About 90 of the them are home-delivered by volunteers.
Albemarle represents the busiest municipality in terms of meals served. Nine routes run out of the Albemarle nutrition site.
Two routes operate from each of the other three sites.
Cost of the meals is approximately $220,000 annually, with funding coming from three sources: Stanly County taxes, U.S. Department of Agriculture and a Home and Community Care Block Grant, courtesy of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Stanly’s municipalities make a donation for the meal-time service as well as provide a serving site at no charge.
Not all of the visitors at the nutrition sites live in Stanly as some participants come from surrounding counties. Seniors in Montgomery and Anson counties visit the Norwood site and residents in Union and Cabarrus tend to frequent the Locust site.

Nutrition Sites

Albemarle Nutrition Site (Nivens Community Building) 1816 E. Main St., Albemarle, NC 28001 Tel. 704-984-9418

Locust Nutrition Site (Locust Community Building) 101 Park Dr. (Officer Jeff Shelton Dr.) Locust, NC 28097 Tel. 704-888-4265

Norwood Nutrition Site (Norwood Community Building) 247 W. Turner St. Norwood, NC 28128 Tel. 704-474-5177

Oakboro Nutrition Site (Boy Scout Hut) 626 N. Long St., Oakboro, NC 28129 Tel. 704-485-8211

 

Contact Ritchie Starnes at 704-754-5076 or ritchie.starnes@stanlynewspress.com.