Vicki and Lane Ward.
By M.G. Angulo –
Lane Ward enjoys his time connecting with senior citizens on his delivery route. He looks forward to the conversations he has with them and savors their company as much as they do his. And, it satisfies him to have a chance, at least once a week, to check on their welfare.
There was once a woman on his route who Ward delivered food to for at least three years. She was a kind woman, an elderly mother of a handful of daughters, a few of whom Ward met during his weekly delivery – “all of them really nice,” he said. Then the woman passed away, and when Ward attended the memorial, he had the opportunity to meet all of the daughters. One of them, Ward discovered, had worked for him for years.
“You never know who you are helping,” said Ward, who has been a Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels volunteer since 2011. “You never know who is benefiting from what you do.” That is one of the most important lessons Ward has learned since devoting his time to the local non-profit.
Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, one of the county’s oldest non-profits, provides meals to more than 1,000 senior citizens each day at six site locations throughout Fort Bend County and one in Waller County. It is also the only non-profit that delivers meals to all people 60 years old and older, regardless of income. In addition to meals, Fort Bend Seniors also offers congregate meals, transportation, case management, health screenings, information and referral services and recreation in efforts to help seniors to remain in their homes and continue to be an integral part of the community.
As a volunteer for Fort Bend Seniors, Ward, a Richmond resident and vice chairman at Amegy Bank, primarily delivers meals to the elderly clients on his specific delivery route. Not only will he deliver a meal, he gets to talk with them, listen to them and keep an eye out on how life is treating them. “Over time, you get to build a relationship with them, and it’s enjoyable. They particularly like the deliveries when I bring my grandsons along.” He laughs, sharing that the seniors are often more happy to see his grandsons, rather than him, on deliveries.
Lane Ward and grandson Drew delivering meals for Fort Bend Seniors.
When his grandsons – all of whom are younger than 11 years old – join Ward on deliveries, it’s a chance for him to teach them the importance of serving their community, and more specifically, helping care for those who have trouble caring for themselves. “A lot of time, older people do not have anyone to check on them to see how they’re doing,” Ward said.
While there are plenty of opportunities to support one’s community, Ward, who volunteers with his church, St. John’s United Methodist Church in Richmond, and has been a member of the West Fort Bend Management board for more than a decade, said he wanted to serve his community in the most hands-on, personal way he could. “I was looking for something I could do that did not require me to be on a board – something I could do myself and with my grandsons. And then I saw this photo of former Rosenberg Mayor Joe Gurecky delivering meals, and I thought, ‘If he can do this, so can I.’
“Volunteering is important for a community. It builds a sense of interconnectedness and is a service to others. I was a Rotarian for a time, and I believe in service to others. And, if you serve other people, you’re a happier person.”
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