Senior Meal Program Continues

The Calaveras County senior nutrition program has a new contractor who has signed up to provide meals to the elderly until June 30, 2007.

The Area 12 Agency on Aging Board of Directors approved the contract with Jackson based Common Ground Senior Services, Inc. on Thursday. Common Grounds will supply food to Meals on Wheels participants and at so-called congregate meal sites.

The congregate sites are located in Arnold at the Chapel in the Pines; in Burson at the Old Fire Station; in Rail Road Flat at the Community Club; and in Valley Springs at the Jenny Lind Veterans Memorial Hall.

A Copperopolis site was not listed in the contract. Board members directed the Area 12 staff to look at ways to add a site there.

The congregate restaurant program will be continued in Angels Camp at Rodz Grill and West Point at the Cozy Cabin Café. The San Andreas site, Station 49, will not be included under the new contract. The provider said it is losing money at the San Andreas site and there´s not very much participation.

Meals on Wheels service will continue to provide meals to homebound seniors in Angels Camp, Murphys, San Andreas, Railroad Flat, Arnold, Valley Springs and Burson.

The Area 12 board is made up of a supervisor from each of the five counties that are served by the agency. The Calaveras County representative is Merita Callaway.

Supervisor Victoria Erickson filled in for Callaway while she was out of the country recently. Alpine Supervisor Terry Woodrow and Mariposa Supervisor Bob Pickard were absent from the meeting at which the new contractor was selected.

Area 12 Executive Director Peggy Lee reported the agency´s total assets were $640,677.61 as of April 30. Individuals 65 and older make up 18.2 percent of Calaveras County´s population.

Calaveras Enterprise Story