Yankee Trails

02 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 The Villages ® Community yankeetrails.com | 352.633.4643 S C L U B O F T H E M O N T H Operation Homebound ince being established in May of 1998, Operation Homebound has served more than 860,000 meals to homebound individuals and is on track to reach one million by December 2020. With the help of more than 400 volunteers that donate their time, Operation Homebound delivers 200 meals a day, providing their clients with not only lovingly pre- pared meals, but companionship. "It's a labor of love and everyone that is involved is very committed to it," said Vickie Rudel, Executive Director and Community Liaison of Operation Homebound. Dedicated to being more than just a meal delivery service, it took more than a year from concept to establishment of Operation Homebound. That was nearly 20 years ago, and today the organization has partnered with several groups throughout the area to offer their clientele additional opportunities for socialization and personal needs. Among these programs is the Buddy System, which is run by North Lake Presbyterian Church and provides homebound seniors with a buddy they can go out and explore with. Additionally, to brighten their clients' days, Operation Homebound uti- lizes its Senior Gift Tree, which encourages the community to donate gifts that Operation Home- bound then delivers. The tree is put out twice a year, once at Christmas and once more for "Christmas in July." Operation Homebound clients are encouraged to write a wish list of items they need or want, which is then placed on the tree as an ornament. Operation Homebound also cele- brates each of its clients' birthdays by bringing balloons, candy and a card. "We often get calls or letters from our clients stating how much they appreciate being remembered," said Rudel. A volunteer-based organization, Operation Homebound is always looking for new members. If you're interested in joining Operation Homebound or would like to be- come a client, call the Operation Homebound office at 352-409-0562 for an application. Clients must qualify for the Opera- tion Homebound program through a doctor's diagnosis. Although this service is not free, there are schol- arships awarded to those that qual- ify. If you're interested in sponsor- ing a scholarship honoree's meal program or would like to donate to the cause, please contact the Oper- ation Homebound office. Would you like your group to be featured as Club of the Month? Contact Kelly McKiever at kmckiever@yankeetrails.com

• Cover