Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL HomeSeniors savor meals on wheels
By Duane Shimogawa - bio | email
HONOLULU (KHNL) - Hundreds of volunteers help to bring not only holiday cheer, but special homemade Christmas meals to seniors and the less fortunate.
For more than 16 years, the Lanakila Meals on Wheels program has been delivering fresh, hot meals to seniors.
250 pounds of ham stuffed chicken, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli spears and more.
All for a smile on someone's face.
Robert Vicich takes 27 pills each day just to stay alive. He suffers from cancer, internal bleeding and a bad liver.
But on Christmas at least, the pain goes away.
"When they come and give the food, it's like Christmas everyday of the year," he said.
They, as in the volunteers, do this out of the kindness of their hearts.
"Once you've seen an old person that's crippled and can't get up and at least get a turkey dinner, really don't have any family, we're their family and over the years you get to see the smiles and the anticipation when they show up with all the bikes making noise," Volunteer and biker Pato said.
It's a collaborative effort, shared by volunteers from all walks of life and the people who receive the meals.
"We really consider these seniors as extended family, so we treat them like family and no one deserves to be alone without a meal, without a gift, without a hug on Christmas Day," Lanakila deputy director Brandon Mitsuda said.
More than 800 seniors received meals Thursday. This year, the participants also picked up an extra special gift, a Kupuna Care Package, which contains basic household items.
>
