Wheeled Meals, Inc. (Bowling Green, Ohio) records

Collection

Identifier: MS-1139

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

Organizational records including board meeting minutes, subscriber lists and route information, daily logs and records, financial records, annual reports, newspaper clippings as well as insurance and public relations files.

Dates

Creation: 1969-2010

Extent

1.11 Cubic Feet (3 letter archive boxes)

Creator

Wheeled Meals, Inc. (Bowling Green, Ohio) (Organization)

Scope and Contents

The Wheeled Meals collection gives researchers and local historians a comprehensive overview of the history, development and day to day running of the organization. The collection includes board meeting minutes, subscriber lists and route information, daily logs and records, financial records, annual reports, newspaper clippings as well as insurance and public relations files. A detailed history of the organization is also included.

Of particular note are records that reveal a case of embezzlement in the early years of the organization’s operation (1974). These records also show how the incident was dealt with. While the collection is arranged chronologically, it should be noted that there are substantive gaps in the material.

Biographical / Historical

A survey made of Wood County under the direction of the Wood County Health Council in 1969 revealed a need for the delivery of meals to homebound persons who were unable to provide for their own nutrition. Wood County Hospital agreed to provide the meals at cost while the Health Department developed the procedures for determining need or eligibility as well as the ability to pay for the service. First Presbyterian Church organized the volunteers and the organization came into being in January 1971 and began their meal services in March 1971. The organization received local financial support from the Hospital Guild, Kings Daughters, Soroptimists, Beta Sigma Phi, Rotary Club, Kiwanis and other interested individuals. Patrons of the service are referred to as “subscribers.”

Marilyn Beattie was the first chairperson and Virginia Nader was the vice-chairperson during the 1971-72. The first route made seven stops and delivered 8 meals. At the end of 1971, the organization had served 3,684 meals. The organization is now 39 years old. In February 2009, Wheeled Meals made 11,753 deliveries to subscribers. The organization provides a hot noon meal and a cold supper meal daily, Monday through Friday. A five-day supply of milk, juice, cereal, margarine, and bread is delivered on Monday, and a second quart of milk is included in the Friday delivery. Dietary planning is supervised by a registered dietitian.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was transferred to the Center for Archival Collections in April 2010 with the cooperation of the organization’s chairperson, Robert Guion.