Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
After 10 years as manager of the local Meals on Wheels program, Dick Hooton is calling it quits.
Hooton, 62, held a pizza feed for about 30 volunteers and a few others involved in the program Thursday, Aug. 31, at the Senior Center, where the meals are prepared and picked up for delivery to home-bound seniors.
A jovial man, Hooton handed out door prizes and served as master of ceremonies while the guests chowed down.
“This is the best job anybody could ever have,” he said. “The people are wonderful, the volunteers are wonderful. We feel like we’re doing something for the community and we get back much more than we can give.”
Meals on Wheels is a program begun by the Older Americans Act of 1965 and is supported in part by federal funds, although it also requires donations and support from local communities.
The local program is organized by the Linn County Council of Governments.
“A lot of people have a misconception about Meals on Wheels,” Hooton said. “They think it’s a welfare program. It’s not.”
He said the purpose is “to get older Americans out of their house to visit and not be so lonely as they get something to eat.” Those who are unable to leave their homes are visited by volunteers who deliver meals three times a week.
In Sweet Home, some 16 drivers deliver hot meals along six routes to between 45 and 60 homes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Frozen meals are provided for Wednesdays Thursdays and weekends.
In addition, lunch is served at the Senior Center for those who are able to make the trip to the center. A $3.50 donation is requested for those who can afford to pay.
Hooton said about 20 people usually eat at the center, but there’s room for plenty more.
Hooton, an Albany resident, started working as manager of the program after earning a degree in psychology from Western Oregon State University in 1996.
He’d spent 27 1/2 years in the Air Force, the first 13 as an aircraft avionics specialist.
“I decided I liked people better, so I went into the 1st Sergeant business, which is basically being a counselor,” he said.
While at Western Oregon, Hooton did a practicum course at the Council of Governments and his boss there told him of the opportunity to manage the local Meals on Wheels program.
“She knew I wanted to work with seniors,” he said.
Hooton took over from Virginia Waggoner in September 1996 when the program was based at Fir Lawn Lutheran Church. Since then, he’s supervised the meals preparation and distribution, recruited volunteer kitchen workers and drivers, and handled the administrative responsibilities (“stupid paperwork”) for the last decade.
He will be replaced by Norene Dennis of Holley, who has been a volunteer with the program for the last two years.
Hooton said his best memory of his time with Meals on Wheels is “the looks and expressions I get every Halloween when I dress up.”
“He makes his own costumes,” Dennis interjected.
“Yeah, last year I came as a high school cheerleader,” Hooton said.