Community Corner
12 Years of Making Life Less Lonely
Carol Horn has spent her retirement years delivering hot food and smiles to seniors through the East Cobb Senior Center's Meals on Wheels program.
Carol Horn, a volunteer at the , has delivered hot meals and a cheery face to homebound Northeast Cobb residents for 12 years.
“I’ve gotten to know a lot of people on my route very well over the years, and I’ve come to view many of them as family,” Horn said.
Horn, a retiree, decided at a young age that upon retirement she would be a volunteer for Meals on Wheels because her father was a recipient of the program’s services in the 1960s.
Find out what's happening in Northeast Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“It’s a wonderful program, and it can make such a big difference in the lives of people that can’t get out on their own or can’t afford a proper meal. We don’t just provide food; sometimes we may be the only person some of our recipients see on a regular basis," she said.
After checking the daily delivery roster, which can vary from four to 10 or more meals, Horn proceeds to the kitchen and loads up her car with coolers and hot food, then starts her route.
Find out what's happening in Northeast Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“When I first started volunteering, we got paid mileage for using our own car. That isn’t the case anymore, and we are always in need of more volunteers. I guess with the price of gas these days, a lot of people just can’t afford it,” Horn said.
Horn moved to Atlanta from Tennessee in 1962. She worked with what was then known as Western Electric. Through numerous changes in company name and structure, Horn remained there until her retirement 12 years ago.
“I ended up moving to Marietta in 1965 because of a change in location by the company. I’ve loved living here ever since."
Horn isn’t sure how many more years she’ll volunteer for Meals on Wheels, but she plans to offer her services as long as she can.
“It’s not only food people need sometimes,” Horn said. “A kind word, and knowing someone cares, goes a long way in helping make a person’s life a little less lonely.”
The Meals on Wheels program delivers nourishment to people 60 and older who can't cook for themselves or can't travel to stores. The Cobb County service supplies more than 50,000 meals a year.
Volunteers are always needed to deliver hot, nutritious food to seniors during the East Cobb Senior Center's operating hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, contact volunteer and advocacy coordinator Shelia Perkins at 770-528-5381.