Flagler County's Congregate Meals On Wheels Program Celebrates 40 Years

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Flagler County, FL - Flagler County's Congregate Meals on Wheels program has celebrated its 25th anniversary of serving meals at the Wickline Center and its 40th Anniversary of the meals program operation started by the former Flagler County Council on Aging. Those milestones were celebrated on Monday, according to Flagler County officials. The meals program began in 1978 at Flagler Beach City Hall in Bunnell and then moved to the multi-purpose center on Belle Terre Blvd. in 1983. The program moved its operations to the George Wickline Senior Center at 800 S. Daytona Ave in Flagler Beach in 1993. The Flagler Beach City Commission allocated $50,000 for the move, and the Council on Aging raised the funds to renovate and remodel the "cafetorium." “The program has changed quite a bit over the years,” Flagler County Community Services Director Joe Mayer says. “What hasn’t changed is the need for the service.” Regular visitors for congregate meals at the Wickline Center range in age from 84-years-old to 103-years-old. “There is a lot of continuity,” Joanne Hinkel, who has been associated with senior services in Flagler County since 1982, explains. “One of our ladies had been coming in for meals for nearly 30 years, but she moved after Hurricane Matthew.” Hinkel says that Flagler County had no transportation system when the program first began, but the Council on Aging had two buses to help transport people for the meals program. Flagler County's Congregate Meals on Wheels program serves hot, nutritionally balanced meals Monday through Friday at noon for eligible Flagler County seniors 60-years-old and older. The Wickline Center also offers social events, guest speakers, and entertainment. You can find more information by clicking here. Those interested in congregate meals should contact Winnie Costello at 386-586-2324 extension 3623. The George Wickline Senior Center is open from 9:30 AM to 1 PM Monday through Friday. Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2018.