THE MEAL TIMES MAY 2016 Volume 41, Issue 2
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AMPLIFY AUSTIN 2016 Raises Funds and Awareness THE MEAL TIMES MAY 2016 Volume 41, Issue 2 newsletter of meals on wheels and more Former Hollywood Stuntman “Grateful” for MOWAM STUNTMAN (cont.) Gary Kent made a ca- Navy and soon became reer falling off gallop- the public information ing horses and speeding officer for the Blue An- motorcycles, jumping gels, the Navy’s famous out of tall buildings, get- flight demonstration ting into fistfights, and squadron. Later, Mr. Kent wrecking cars. That’s life worked in radio - first as on the job for a Holly- a news reporter and then wood stuntman, a role he as an announcer. It was played for 40 years. during this time, while he was living in Hous- These days, chronic back ton, that he began acting and hip issues serve as at the city’s famed Alley MOWAM client Gary Kent in his South Austin home daily reminders of the Theatre. He enjoyed be- rough and tumble life Errol Flynn, the guys who were do- ing a stage actor, but after he led. The pain makes it tough for ing all the sword fights. That’s what seeing the film “On the Waterfront”, him to stand for very long. He spends I wanted to do was all that action he decided Hollywood was where he much of his time in the front room stuff. I rode my tricycle, at the age needed to be. “So I took a Greyhound of his South Austin home, the walls of three, down the cellar stairs and bus to L.A. to try my hand at show covered with photos and movie post- broke my arm. That was probably my business and see what would happen,” ers. When asked what made him risk first stunt,” he recalls. he says. life and limb, he credits the films he saw as a child. Mr. Kent went on to earn a degree Once there, he made ends meet by in Journalism from the University of working at a local TV station as a “I always identified with guys like Washington. He then joined the U.S. stage manager. One day, during his (continued on back page) www.mealsonwheelsandmore.org 3227 E. 5th STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS 78702 512.476.6325 March for Meals RAISES AWARENESS March for Meals is an annual communi- Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott and ty-by-community nationwide celebra- Austin Mayor Steve Adler were among tion of the Meals on Wheels programs the familiar faces who took part in this that keep our older, homebound year’s event. neighbors happier and healthier. Cecilia Abbott has been a MOWAM volunteer for several years. Pictured here with MOWAM Addie Broyles knows a thing or two about food; she writes about President & CEO Dan Pruett, Ms. Abbott was also the keynote speaker at Meals on Wheels it for a living. Addie’s been a MOWAM volunteer since 2013. Texas’ recent state conference in Waco. Judy Maggio spent more than 30 years delivering This is Mayor Steve Adler’s second year in a row to participate in March for Meals. He’s pictured here with the news in Austin. Since 2011, she’s delivered our MOWAM client Salvador Gonzales and his wife, Feliz Gonzales. nutritious meals to homebound Central Texans. COMPASSION IN ACTION Austin Vet Cares for CLIENTS’ CRITTERS “God bless you for thinking about One of his favorite PALS stories our little pets. I love and adore involves a dog named Princess. my kitty more than anything on When he first saw her, her hair earth. I couldn’t live a day with- was falling out in patches and she out him.” That quote from one of could barely hold her head up. Af- our clients shows just how deep ter doing blood work on Princess, the bond can be between a home- he determined she had a pretty bound older adult and his or her severe thyroid condition. He pre- pet. scribed some supplements and says the next time he saw Princess: That’s why we started our PALS “I had to do a double take and ask program several years ago. PALS, ‘is this the same dog’. I mean it which stands for Pets Assisting Dr. T.J. Palvino with PALS pet Chucky was night and day, because you the Lives of Seniors, provides as- could see the results. So that was sistance with dog or cat food and their time and talent to make sure pretty cool. basic preventative veterinary care our clients’ pets are fit as a fiddle. for our clients’ four-legged friends. Dr. Palvino is owner and Medical “To actually know that I’m help- These services are made possible by Director of Austin Vet Hospital, and ing someone who may be isolated, our wonderful partners at Emanci- he knows firsthand how much the might not have a whole lot of inter- pet and the Texas Veterinary Medi- people we serve care for their ani- action other than the companion- cal Foundation. mals. “It’s almost the same bond you ship they get from their pet, if we see between a parent and a child,” he can make that pet healthier, I like Dr. T.J. Palvino is one of several Cen- says. to think we’re helping that person as tral Texas veterinarians who donate well. What’s not to like about that?” Glass Art Event to BenefitMOWAM Some of the most talented glass artists in the state will be on hand for the 4th annual Armadillo Art Glass Initiative Festival. Proceeds from the popular event will benefit Meals on Wheels and More. Armadillo Art Glass Initiative (AAGI) is an organization of glass artists dedicated to helping Central Texans in need. The festival, which spot- lights more than 50 artists from across the Lone Star State, features live glass blowing demonstrations, a silent auction, music, and food. Since the festival began in 2013, AAGI has raised more than $85,000 for our agency! This year’s event will be held on Saturday & Sunday, May 21-22, at St. Elmo’s Fire (510 E St Elmo Rd #A, Austin TX 78745). Visit Proceeds from AAGI’s festival on May 21-22 will benefit www.armadilloartglassinitiative.com for more information. MOWAM. Together, we can end senior hunger in Central Texas. DAN’S corner Dear Friends BOARD of directors To paraphrase a famous question Rick Yeomans, Board Chair Stewart Whitehead from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Graves, Dougherty, Hearon and Moody, PC Winstead Juliet”, if you change your name, do Ben Hanson, Chair-Elect Dan Pruett Senior Care Centers, LLC President/CEO you also change who you are? Meals on Wheels and More Norine Yukon, Second Vice-Chair Former CEO, United Healthcare Community Plan MANAGEMENT team I bring up the Bard’s “what’s in a Meg Youngblood, Treasurer Dan Pruett name” line because I want to tell Maxwell Locke & Ritter, LLP President & CEO you some news we haven’t shared Adam Hauser, Member at Large Larry Cosper, C.P.A. with anyone. We’re changing our Husch Blackwell, LLP Executive Vice-President & CFO name from Meals on Wheels and Michael C. Brown, Immediate Past Chair Michael Wilson More to Meals on Wheels Central Texas Capital Bank Sr. Vice-President & COO Texas. Namkee G. Choi, Ph.D Theresa Medlin School of Social Work Vice-President for Volunteer Services University of Texas at Austin and Distribution The reason for the transition is our B.J. Friedman, Ph.D Demereal Owens region’s rapidly growing population Dept. of Family and Consumer Sciences Vice-President for Client Services Texas State University — San Marcos and the expansion of our service Marsha Wier area to keep up with that growth. Rosie L. Johnson Vice-President for Human Resources Retired Clergy When our agency started 44 years Wesley United Methodist Charles Cloutman Vice President for Home Repair ago, eight volunteers delivered Brian Tuerff meals to 29 homebound clients, BBVA Compass Bank Nicole Sarkar Vice-President for Development all of whom lived in Austin. These Allen E. Wise International Bank of Commerce Thad Rosenfeld days, we have 8,000 volunteers, and Vice-President for Communications we help 5,000 clients over a seven county region. We want our name to reflect the fact that we serve and will continue to serve folks all over Central Texas. But the transition doesn’t mean our vital “and More” programs, such as Home Repair, Veteran Services, and PALS are going away. In fact, our vision is to increase the number of services we provide and the number of people we help. So, we may be changing our name, but by no means are we changing who we are or what we do. P.S. We’ll be phasing in our new name and logo over the next few months, but wanted you, our loyal supporters, to be the first to know. www.mealsonwheelsandmore.org charity navigator 4-star rating for fiscal management Austin Vet Cares for CLIENTS’ CRITTERS Volunteer Turns Meal Route into FAMILY AFFAIR Mary Gordon Spence describes herself grandchildren with me at different as a ‘humorlosopher’. For anyone who times and sometimes all three of them knows her, it’s an apt description. The at the same time,” she explains. Those Brownwood, Texas native is a profes- experiences inspired her grandson, sional speaker, writer, and commenta- William, when he turned 10 recently. tor. She’s also a Meals on Wheels and “He had a bowling party and in lieu of More volunteer. gifts, he decided he wanted his friends to contribute to Meals on Wheels. He When asked why she signed up a few raised about $125,” says his beaming years back to deliver meals for us, she grandmother.