Bob and Helen Coates can think of no better way to give back to their community than through volunteering.
The retired Exeter couple has been volunteering for Town and Country Support 
Services through Meals on Wheels and the Dining for Seniors program for a number of years. Helen began delivering meals close to 25 years ago when the program was then run through the United Church in Exeter.
“It is the easiest and most rewarding thing to do,” said Helen, of volunteering for Meals on Wheels, which is one of many home and community support programs run through Town and Country Support Services throughout Huron and Perth Counties. “You’re not asking for anything, you’re just giving.”
“You feel like you’re doing something worthwhile,” said Bob, who, upon retirement 13 years ago, decided to join Helen in giving back to his community by helping to deliver Meals on Wheels. Bob also volunteers at the Seniors’ Dining Program in Exeter, held every Tuesday at noon at the Lions’ Youth Centre. There, Bob helps set up tables and chairs for the weekly program and also picks up seniors who need transportation to and from the program.
The couple, who have lived in Exeter for 49 years, said they enjoy delivering for Meals on Wheels because it doesn’t take a lot of time out of their active schedule (they are also members of the Rebekahs and Oddfellows, and volunteer at ARC Angels in Dashwood) with deliveries taking up to 45 minutes once a month.
“We get to meet a lot of great people,” said Bob, adding that he doesn’t know why more people don’t volunteer. “You come home feeling really good.”
Town and Country Support Services is a not-for-profit agency providing services to families in Huron and Perth Counties that enable or extend the ability of individuals to remain in their homes and their communities. Programs include dining and meals on wheels programs, friendly visiting and telephone reassurance, exercise, foot care, blood pressure monitoring, and transportation services. Volunteers play a huge role in helping us provide these quality services. “These volunteers are doing a great service to their communities by helping seniors remain active and independent in their homes and communities,” said Grace Gowanlock, TCSS volunteer coordinator.
Gowanlock said that Town and Country Support Services has a number of different volunteer opportunities currently available in the Exeter and Grand Bend areas that can suit many different schedules and lifestyles. Gowanlock added that the volunteer can choose how often they can share their time.
“Whether they can volunteer monthly or weekly, it is totally up to them,” she said.
Some of the volunteer opportunities available throughout the Exeter and Grand Bend areas include delivering Meals on Wheels and Frozen Meals, helping at the dining and exercise programs, and driving clients to medical appointments or on errands, such as grocery shopping and banking.
For more information about how you can help an individual in your community maintain a healthy, independent lifestyle, contact Gowanlock at 1-877-502-8277, ext. 2001, or e-mail ggowanlock@tcss.on.ca. For more information about Town and Country Support Services, visit www.tcss.on.ca.
