Our 15th Annual Bountiful Bowl event was
our most successful ever, raising $38,000 to subsidize 14,844 meals for the
homebound seniors and adults with disabilities we serve.
This year’s event included a very special
addition—the awarding of the 1st Annual Bob Wood Legacy Award to
30-year volunteer Mary Anne Johnson. Bob was part of
Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County since its inception when the original members
of the Meals on Wheels task force approached Wood Dining Service at Cedarbrook
Nursing Home to prepare the meals. Bob worked closely with Dick Yenser,
Director of Food Services, to design the meal program that delivered to the
agency’s first 9 clients on 3 routes on February 1, 2021 and continued to
prepare the meals until 2004.
Bob remembered
the beginning of the program as an example of how Lehigh County leaders and
citizens put into place a program that would ensure that the people who needed
home-delivered meals could have full lives. “The program wasn’t just for
convenience, but instead helped people to stay in their own homes and be
independent.” The Meals on Wheels program, Bob said, “is an example of
institutional commitment leveraged by people who want to make a
difference.”
Bob continued his
interest in the agency and as busy as he was, always made himself available for
consultation. His generosity of spirit was an inspiration to all who knew him.
This award will continue his legacy and his commitment to the betterment of his
community.
MaryAnne
Johnson’s volunteer service with Meals on Wheels began in 1985, delivering with
her friend Eileen each month, on the same route, as part of The Medical Society
Alliance. Her role as a delivery volunteer spanned 15 years. Her volunteer work
continued when she was asked to join the board. Being a direct service
volunteer added an important perspective to her role in governing the agency as
a board member. After serving one term of six years and a brief hiatus she was
invited to return to serve a second term.
After attending a
national Meals on Wheels conference in 1999 and hearing about a fundraising
event in Sedona, Arizona involving pottery bowls, Pam Bechtel met with Mary
Anne and posed the idea to her. Mary Anne took the new fundraiser on as her
“baby” and came up with the name, contacted her sister, a graphic designer, to
come up with a logo and The Bountiful Bowl was born. Since 2000, Mary Anne has
chaired or co-chaired the event and under her leadership, enthusiasm, style and
attention to detail, the event has flourished, and raised over $316,000 to
subsidize meal costs for its low-income clients.
Thousands of hours, in many capacities, made
MaryAnne a clear choice for this award. The agency is grateful to Mary Anne for
three decades of service.
This year’s event was held at DeSales University to
accommodate the growing number of attendees.
228 supporters enjoyed a fabulous buffet prepared by Sodexo Dining
Services, an open bar and musical entertainment by Roger Latzgo on the piano.
Along with beautiful handcrafted bowls and other vessels,
guests were able to bid on themed baskets, gift cards and other unique items
during the silent auction. This year
guests were also able to buy tickets for a libations auction of fine wines and
whiskeys and bid on chef events during the live auction.
Thank you to all the members of our community who
donated money or items for this event as well as the the following.
Bountiful Bowl Committee Members:
Mary Anne Johnson
(Chair), Connie Archer, Pat Beldon, Audrey Fronheiser, Sarah Garon, Brooke
Griffiths, Pamela Koons-Hartnett, Sue McCann, Cindy Merrit, Joy Buckley Reed
and Mary Pat Stark
Evening volunteers: photographer, Scott Foster
(photographer); Scott Stoneback (videographer), Ray Starner (auctioneer); Jayne Crowther; Karen Haberen; Marilyn
Howard and Lisa Russo
Major Sponsors:
Media: The Morning Call;
Bountiful Harvest: Aesculap, Inc.; Aurora
Specialties, Inc/Rob Win Press; Pat & Sandy Beldon; CrossAmerica Partners
Basket of Plenty : Bob & Sandy Lovett; The Hartford; Doug
& Mary Anne Johnson; The Pidcock Company; PPL/Talen Energy; St. Luke’s
Physician Group
Cornucopia: Hank
& Joan Barnette; Bradley Pulverizer Company; Buckno Lisicky & Company;
Janet & Malcolm Gross; Health Network Laboratories; Dave & Kathy Leber;
Justin Sheftel Memorial Fund of the LV Community Foundation; Lehigh Valley
Health Network; National Penn Private Banking; Missy & Sam Saxton; Larrie
& Judy Wood Sheftel