The first day of 2003 was a moody gray one, but the Elder-Hop on Memorial Square in the center of Orangeburg provided one bright spot. A traditional New Year's Day meal was served for free, but those who attended paid $1,657.38 toward meals for needy homebound persons in the county.

The sun broke through at 11:30 a.m., just as John Cruise, co-chairman of the Orangeburg County Council on Aging fund-raising committee, said the blessing and thanked God for taking the clouds away and asked Him to help the council to fulfill its mission of feeding all the homebound of Orangeburg.

More than 300 people got plates of Hoppin' John, collards, and cornbread at the event held Wednesday to benefit the council's Meals on Wheels program. The crowd shrank and swelled with the intermittent rain, but it was always a warm and friendly group, made up largely of folks known around town for their service to charitable causes. The event was sponsored by the Council on Aging, the Orangeburg City Council, and Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association (DORA).

Cook Jackie Robinson refused to give out the New Year's recipes of his late mother, Viola "Tookie" Robinson, of Orangeburg, but he did tell me that he uses smoked turkey instead of pork in the collards to make the greens lower in cholesterol. Former cook at Tookie's Restaurant on Glover Street, Robinson says this Friday he is re-opening the business for country cooking from 6 to 9 p.m. at 1780 Russell St. The original Tookie's, named for his mother, was closed due to fire.

Invited to the event by someone named Dora, Sonshine the Clown said the Health Department had called to say they needed to put hats on the cooks, so she made some out of balloons. Her real name, which is never revealed, is one nobody needs to know, especially not those guys, she said, indicating the two policemen on duty. Sonshine, whose mission is to go to churches and out into the community "to get people to laugh and to spread God's love around," made balloon toys for children of all ages and joked with the Elder-Hoppers.

Although the weather probably kept some people at home, council board chairman Gene Kiser said he felt people were eager to support this cause, citing the fact that while he and his wife were eating in a restaurant on New Year's Eve, one person handed him a check for $50 and another $20. More volunteers are needed in a lot of areas of the council, Kiser said. "We have 85 volunteers now, with 25 of those delivering meals."

"I hope the community will be supportive, and that those who don't get the chance to enjoy the Hopping John today will give a donation to the program," Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller said. "We have more need than money here, and this is a great cause to help the elderly. For some of them, this is their only contact with the outside world."

Because the New Year's Eve celebration on the Square was canceled for this year, the City donated the money it had allocated for that purpose to the Elder-Hop, which was a big help, Kiser noted.

Bernice Tribble, director of co-sponsor DORA, had helped coordinate the inaugural event but was unable to attend because her husband, Don, remains hospitalized after five bypasses had been performed on his heart, Miller reported. Tribble is now being moved to a regular room and is recuperating, he added.

"Ever since I could remember, we had Hoppin' John and collards on New Years Eve for good luck," said Hattie Wood of Springfield as she devoured Robinson's creation. Wood, Cassandra Shuler of Bowman and Beatrice Thompson of the Vance-Holly Hill area, all employees of the Council on Aging, work at the council centers in their areas. There are also centers in Orangeburg and North. They have meals as well as arts and crafts, games, current events, lectures, and exercise for those who attend, They also provide trips, information, referral, and service management to the senior citizens. Wood says the Springfield Center averages about 22, and Shuler says Bowman has about 18 who come in regularly.

The council transports small groups from Norway and three routes in Orangeburg to the centers and assists those eligible with light housekeeping and shopping.

A private, nonprofit agency, the council provides services to help aging persons maintain their independence and function to the best of their ability and to acquaint the community with the needs and potential of its elders.

Council programs are available to anyone 60 or older who resides in Orangeburg County, but to receive Meals on Wheels, one must qualify according to need. Over 200 people have been approved as qualified for Meals on Wheels, but the Council does not have enough money to feed them.

Poverty level is $700 per month in the Orangeburg area, and 56.8 percent of those who have applied for the service are living in poverty, said Frank Best, board member and co-chairman of fund raising with Cruise. "The numbers are changing weekly. It is estimated that one-third of our population will be senior citizens by 2015."

At this time, Meals on Wheels for Orangeburg County prepares 1,416 meals per week which are delivered five times a week, Best said. They give generous portions, which can be used for two meals, so five meals will feed a person for an entire week. A meal costs $3.80, and it takes $1,000 year to feed someone five times per week for 52 weeks. So $200,000 more per year would feed the 200 who have qualified as needy in Orangeburg.

All contributions, bequests, and memorials are acknowledged and may be sent to Mrs. Sheryl S. Cartwright, Executive Director, Orangeburg County Council on Aging, P.O. Box 1301, Orangeburg, SC 29116-1301. For more information, call the Orangeburg office at 531-4663 or write the Regional Information Office, P.O. Box 850, Aiken, SC 29801; telephone (803) 649-7981.

Kiser said Robinson would probably continue to serve the Hoppin' John until around 2 p.m., and whatever food was left would be carried to the Samaritan House for the homeless.

"This has been the start of an annual event which I think will become a tradition because people here want to join a successful program," said Fred Broughton, council board member. "The enthusiasm seems to be great, and generally when people are enthusiastic, they tend to stay involved."

You must be logged in to comment.