On Wednesday morning, food is being laid out on foldable tables in the lower level of the South County Senior Center (SCSC) in Edmonds. A band plays live music in one corner of the large room. Upstairs, a senior aerobics class is working up a sweat in a spacious ballroom.
Amid the music and mingling seniors, Louise Scollard works alongside other volunteers setting up the tri-weekly food bank. At 95 years old, Louise is one of the center’s oldest and most dedicated volunteers.
Why volunteer? “Because I retired and I didn’t like that,” answered Scollard, at once feisty and matter-of-fact in an outfit of royal blue and a sparkling headband. “It’s something to do.”
March will mark Scollard’s 16th year working with the food surplus program, which serves seniors in need from across South Snohomish County.
The SCSC program distributes surplus food that would be pulled from grocery store shelves, said Glen Ackerman, an SCSC volunteer.
Scollard began volunteering at the SCSC after spotting a volunteer application. “I saw a paper and it had jobs to volunteer for a driver. And I said, ‘I have my own truck,’” she said.
As long as she was able, Scollard transported food between grocery stores and the bank, soliciting new stores to donate food and building friendly rapport with store employees.
Now, she comes down to the center two days per week to help with the on-site operations of the surplus program. The program provides food to approximately 60-80 seniors on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, says SCSC program director Janice DeShon.
The work is a natural fit for Scollard, who worked for years in the food industry, bartending and waitressing across Snohomish and King counties. “I was the lousiest waitress in Seattle,” she joked, “but I was the fastest.”
In addition to the food surplus program, the SCSC provides a free lunch for seniors every day. According to DeShon, “A lot (of seniors) don’t get more than what we give.”
Ackerman agreed. “The whole economy has gone topsy-turvy. It effects everyone,” he said. “Seniors like to pull their weight, but Social Security hasn’t gone up with inflation. We’re treading water.”
The economy has effected overall donations to the center as well, which runs on donations, rentals, sales from an on-site thrift store – which is frequented by Scollard, who emphasizes her love for a good deal – and some city and county funds.
“Donations have been declining,” DeShon said. As a nonprofit, “we have to support ourselves. We’re hoping the community will share with us so we can do more for seniors.”
The center’s various programs, including the food surplus program, are available to SCSC non-members as well as members. About 750 to 800 seniors utilize the center every month, some coming every day. Some are playing in the band; some are dancing. Some are socializing; some are exercising. Some are on one side of the table, gathering food for their week; some, like Scollard, are on the other side, serving it to them.
“It’s good for me,” Scollard said. “I forget about my aches and pains.”
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