Donna McClure and Connie Stredwick joke that they’re the Lucy and Ethel of Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels, invoking the classic sitcom “I Love Lucy.”

“I’m Ethel,” said McClure, who supervises the kitchen for Meals on Wheels, which serves thousands of seniors in region and aims to meet both their nutritional and social needs.

That means Stredwick, a cook, is Lucy.

“Or I used to be when I was younger and had more energy,” she said with a laugh.

McClure and Stredwick both seem to have plenty of energy – and also plenty of love for Meals on Wheels, which is part of the nonprofit Senior Life Resources Northwest.

The agency is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and dedicated employees like McClure and Stredwick have been key to its longevity and success, leaders said.

The staff, volunteers, board of directors and community support have helped the agency do its important work for five decades, and “we look forward to having the privilege of serving the community another 50 years where we remain committed to living our values and meeting our mission,” said Brandy Hickey, executive director.

Anniversary gala

A 50th anniversary gala is planned on June 20 to raise money for Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels.

McClure and Stredwick both joined the program in the 1990s. Back then, it didn’t have permanent space, and they were cooking in rented facilities.

They now work out of the kitchen at Senior Life Resources’ headquarters on Fowler Street in Richland. The program serves meals to seniors at eight dining facilities in Benton and Franklin counties, and volunteers also deliver meals to seniors who are homebound.

In 2023, the program helped more than 2,500 seniors, serving nearly 58,000 meals at dining sites, delivering nearly 200,000 meals to the homebound and conducting 1,242 in-person nutrition evaluations, according to information from the agency.

“It means a lot to be able to help people. I always liked helping people, and it means a lot to know that something you’re doing is actually (making a difference),” Stredwick said.

Home Care Services

Senior Life Resources Northwest also has other services to help seniors and vulnerable people live more healthy, independent lives. Its Home Care Services program is licensed by the state and deploys professional caregivers to help with everything from bathing and grooming to light housework, eating assistance, errands and medical visits.

About 750 caregivers help clients in eight counties in the region through the program. In 2023, they served 1,461 clients and logged 900,268 service hours.         

The services aren’t limited to seniors; others can qualify, including people with disabilities.

Because of the program, “clients have a choice. They can remain at home. That’s what we try to provide – that safety net, that companionship, those critical care tasks,” said Cherie Noble, Home Care Services director. “It’s important work,” she added.

Like McClure and Stredwick from Meals on Wheels, Noble is a longtime employee.

She started with the organization as a caregiver when she was 18, and she quickly worked her way up into leadership. She loves the work and the mission, she said.

Senior Life Resources Northwest dates to 1974.

It got its start as the Benton-Franklin Council on Aging and was formed to use federal Older Americans Act funding in the community, specifically for a senior nutrition program, the agency’s website says. The first nutrition program was known as Bread ’n Butter.

Home care services were added a few years after the agency got off the ground.

In 1999, the agency changed its name to Senior Life Resources Northwest.

Hickey came on board as the executive director last year.

To her, 50 years in operation is something to celebrate.

“It’s been a privilege,” she said. “It truly is a family. It’s a special place, and we want another 50 years. We have a lot of work to do.”

Cruising Through Eras

The 50th anniversary gala is 6-9 p.m. June 20 at At Michele’s, 2323 Henderson Loop, Richland. The event has the theme “Cruising Through Eras.” Attendees are invited to dress up in attire from their preferred era over the past 50 years.

Go to: givebutter.com/MOW50.