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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 2018)
Columbia Senior Diners also the home of Astoria's Meals on Wheels Columbia Senior Diners also the home of Astoria's Meals on Wheels, located at the Astoria Senior Center. 1111 Exchange St, Astoria, OR 97103 PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The Astoria Senior Center serves a scrumptious, affordable lunch Monday through Friday in our dining area. Here's a little background on the CSD: In 1973, the Diners received non-profit status. The founding mission was to provide reasonably priced lunches to seniors while they enjoyed the opportunity for conversation and social- ization. Monday through Friday, for $6.00, lunches are served that comprise a homemade bowl of soup, salad, main course (meat/fish with potatoes or pasta), hot vegetables, choice of beverage and often a tasty treat for dessert. The generous portions offer enough food for many diners to take left overs home and have a healthy snack. Some diners want a lighter meal of hearty, homemade soup, choice of beverage, bread or crackers for $4.00. The current feasibility of low-cost, delicious lunches is accomplished by volunteer staff that serve, wash dishes and run the organization on a daily basis. In 2014, 41 hard-working volunteers contributed 4,200 hours to serve 9,117 meals in the dining room and another 4,592 lunches to seniors unable to leave their homes. That is a total of 13,709 meals enjoyed by seniors in our community. Birthdays are observed, holidays celebrated, announcements made, ethnic meals prepared and much more; all contribute to an atmosphere of fun and belonging within a peer group. Seniors who cannot occasionally or permanently join others in the dining area can have meals delivered to their homes upon request. Every possible accommodation is made to individual tastes and food restrictions. For people who may be isolated at home, a driver from Columbia Senior Diners checks in once a day for a brief but vital connection. The aging demographics of Clatsop County create challenges that Columbia Senior Diners addresses by supporting seniors to live healthy, independent and socially richer relationships and lives. The Columbia Senior Diners is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you all so much for your ongoing assistance, sponsorship and fundraising for the CSD. CONTACT INFORMATION 1111 Exchange St, Astoria, OR 97103 503-325-3231 www.astoriaseniorcenter.org/columbia- senior-diners.html SPONSORED BY: J & S Appliance GIVING BACK 2018-19 • 29
