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By MELINDA SACKS / Special
to the Mercury News
even
though the sun is shining outside, Brenda Tickler's cluttered apartment
is dark.
Surrounded by her beloved collections of artifacts and crowded
by the medical equipment upon which she depends, she spends her
time in a broken-down wheelchair, her feet wrapped in anti-blood
clot elastic socks.
The TV is always on for company. An aged computer provides some
connection to the outside world, but it is largely a life of solitude.
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Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious pre-prepared meals including
vegetables, breads and pasta, fruit, and beverages at the doorsteps
of clientele.
(Anne-Marie
McReynolds / Mercury News)
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A lifetime ago, Tickler, now 58, was active in her Sunnyvale community,
serving on the housing and human services commission. But for more
than 20 years, Tickler has suffered from a myriad of medical problems.
In 1975, surgery for a brain tumor left her disabled and in need
of a wheelchair. A stroke in 1986 caused further disabilities. Severe
back problems and swollen limbs have kept her from getting well
or getting out.
But there is a bright spot in every day, thanks to Meals on Wheels,
a program of the Campbell-based Health Trust, a non-profit organization
that provides daily meals and visitors to fragile and disabled adults
across Santa Clara County. Wish Book donations can help keep these
nutritious meals coming.
Al, the Meals on Wheels volunteer Tickler has come to know from
his daily visits, brings a warm, well-balanced meal each day, along
with lunches she can stash in the freezer and the daily newspaper.
His company, as well as the food, keeps her going.
"I can't get out to the store,'' she says. "These people (volunteers)
are the unsung heroes. They work behind the scenes. They are nice
and they brighten my day. It's the difference between eating and
not eating, and being alone or seeing a friendly person every day.
"It's the caring and the extended hand that makes a difference.''
Between visits from the Meals on Wheels volunteers, Tickler doesn't
sit around feeling sorry for herself. She is taking a painting class
that is offered on KQED, and proudly shows off her acrylic paintings
of colorful and lovingly detailed flowers. She uses her old computer
to research health issues, and sometimes writes to columnists at
the local newspaper with recipe ideas and story suggestions.
Life would be better with a new laptop computer
($1000), which would provide Tickler with more reliable access to the outside world.
Each
gift of $48 provides an individual with hot meals for five days
and weekend box lunches through Meals on Wheels programs in Santa
Clara, San
Mateo, Alameda
and Santa
Cruz Counties. In addition, each donation
of $24 provides a month's worth of supplemental groceries to
help low-income seniors make ends meet through the Operation Brown
Bag program of Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo
Counties.
For
more information, here are links to:
Alameda County Meals on Wheels;
Meals on Wheels
(Fremont, Newark, Union City);
The Health Trust
Meals on Wheels (Santa Clara County);
The Meals
on Wheels for Santa Cruz County;
The Second
Harvest Food Bank
[ Review
Your Wish Book Donation ]
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