Solanco Meals on Wheels is rolling along.

Starting its 51st year and third in its new home, the nonprofit organization is continuing to provide healthy meals to residents of the Solanco School District who are in need.

"It's for people who are unable to cook for themselves," said Solanco Meals on Wheels president Nancy Snider. "They can be elderly or have a medical problem."

Volunteer drivers deliver a bag lunch and a hot meal every weekday. The hot meal consists of a protein and two vegetables. The bag lunch contains a sandwich, fruit, juice, and a snack.

There is a fee for the meals. Donations from churches and individuals help defray the expenses and ensure quality meals are served.

Donna Spangler, a board member and the group's kitchen coordinator, said Meals on Wheels follows government guidelines. The kitchen is inspected annually and a dietitian from the Lancaster County Office of Aging checks the meals twice a year and approves the menu, which changes every six months.

Spangler, Joyce Holloway, and Sue Eichelberger are the organization's three cooks. Spangler stated that the Meals on Wheels kitchen works in accordance with government dietary recommendations for older people, is conscious of allergies, and can accommodate special requests.

Most volunteer drivers work one day every other week, leaving at 10 a.m. on one of four routes through the vast Southern End landscape. Volunteer coordinator Peggy Gordon plans the routes and oversees background checks on the drivers.

In addition to safely transporting food, the drivers provide a brief bit of companionship. "Sometimes, we're the only people that these clients see during the day," said Snider.

Meals on Wheels volunteers Lynda Frutchey, the group's vice president, and treasurer JoAnn Pennington jokingly recounted how they became involved. "She made me (join)," Frutchey said while glancing over at Snider. "She's my neighbor, and she made me."

"Everybody knows what Meals on Wheels is," Frutchey added. "My parents had it in Millersville. It's just a community thing, and we help when we can."

Pennington joined the group after an encounter while working as a dental hygienist. A patient said, 'We need a treasurer for Meals on Wheels,'" Pennington said. "Ten years later, I am still here. ... It's community-based, and I wanted to do something to help the community."

There are 100 volunteers and currently 30 clients, some of whom are referred by the Office of Aging. The Office of Aging also provides emergency meals, which are delivered by Solanco volunteers ahead of potential winter storms.

Solanco Meals on Wheels currently operates out of a kitchen at Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community (QPRC) after previously working out of a building used by Mount Hope United Methodist Church. Uncertainty surrounding that building forced the organization to seek another home. "It happened at the right time," said Snider. "(QPRC has) been very good to work with. We are very thankful we have this kitchen at QPRC. They came to us and said they had a kitchen they weren't using." Some QPRC residents volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

QPRC president and CEO Robert Hayward said, "We're blessed to have Meals on Wheels with us. It's an important component of the community. It's extraordinary. They do a wonderful job."

In addition to serving the elderly and people with long-term medical conditions, Meals on Wheels serves people who have temporary medical issues and need meals for a limited time. Age is not a factor.

Client coordinator Diane Waltman screens potential clients to find out why they need the meals. "We're not just a short-order cook," said Snider. "We want there to be a reason why we need to serve them."

Anyone who wishes to volunteer for Solanco Meals on Wheels or who needs the group's services should call the kitchen at 717-786-3624 and leave a message if no one answers.