The Orangeburg County Council on Aging kicked off 2009 on the right foot, left foot, two step, and a hop.

It’s called the Elder Hop and, actually, it has little to do with anything resembling a sock hop ball or a New Year’s Day dance.

“The board of directors just took the name for it and it stuck,” said OCCOA Director Sheryl Jeffcoat. “It’s not a dance, no hopping, no jumping.”

What it was was eating, and plenty of it Thursday, with plates of ham-flavored greens being passed out for free. Though $10 or more donations per plate were accepted, the event and food are free if individuals could not afford to give.

Members of Teresa’s Catering served Paul Bunyan portions of not only greens, but Hoppin’ John and cornbread, the traditional New Year’s Day meal.

A steady stream of Elder Hop participants braved the chilly noon temperature to pick up their plate. With the mercury hovering around 39 degrees, the steaming greens were probably more welcome than a dance hop anyway.

The sole fund-raiser for OCCOA’s Meals on Wheels program is to kick off this year’s goal of raising $50,000.

Along with donations and grants, the funds raised goes to support the mostly volunteer organization that prepares and delivers more than 45,000 meals every year to the area’s shut-ins, disabled, and invalid.

The cost to the organization is about $1,381 per year for each client, officials say.

The program is currently serving in the Orangeburg, Bowman, Branchville, Vance, and Springfield areas. About 225 meals are prepared each day for Orangeburg residents alone.

“We have seven routes going out every day,” said assistant director Lynda Huffstetler.

Anyone wishing to donate to the effort can do so by contacting the OCCOA at 803-531-4663 or by mail at P.O. Box 1301, Orangeburg, S.C. 29116.

n T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5516. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

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