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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Youngstown State University student-athletes and members from Mahoning County Meals on Wheels prepared to launch their balloons outside the WATTS Center on March 20.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Mahoning County Meals on Wheels members and Youngstown State University student-athletes met for the March for Meals balloon launch on March 20 at the WATTS Center.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Members of Mahoning County Meals on Wheels partnered with Youngstown State University student-athletes to prepare for the balloon launch for the March for Meals on March 20.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Mahoning County Meals on Wheels members and Youngstown State University student-athletes let go of their balloons during the March for Meals balloon launch on March 20.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
abartolomucci@vindy.com
Meals on Wheels of Mahoning County teamed with several Youngstown State University student-athletes to participate in the second annual balloon launch on March 20 at the WATTS Center.
More than 20 student-athletes volunteered their time to celebrate the March for Meals program with the volunteers from Meals on Wheels. This is the second year that YSU student-athletes have collaborated with Meals on Wheels and the number of students who showed up this year compared to last year has doubled.
Linda Jenkins, Meals on Wheels Director, said how it was amazing seeing how supportive everyone at the launch was of the program. This is the 15th annual March for Meals which is a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meals on Wheels.
“If it’s one or 100 it’s just awesome to think someone was so kind to give up their time,” said Jenkins.
Meals on Wheels of Mahoning County gets credit for the amount of people who attend their events and show off the Meals on Wheels March for Meals logo and get funding for the participation.
This year, the balloons Meals on Wheels provided were biodegradable so when they were released into the air, they wouldn’t harm the environment when they came back to the ground. The volunteers and student-athletes held the balloons and March for Meals signs for a picture inside the WATTS Center, then went outside to release the balloons.
“I didn’t expect this many students, but the more the merrier. And it’s for a worthy cause,” said Jenkins.
Meals on Wheels of Mahoning County is self-sufficient and runs off grants and donations, not federal funding. The volunteers will continue to deliver meals to the customers and prices will remain the same.
For more information on how to contribute to March for Meals, visit www.MarchForMeals.com.