The DeKalb Emergency Services Association will be busy the next few days not wrapping gifts but delivering the gift of a warm meals to community members.
President Steve Repasy said local volunteers help the association delivers holiday meals. Repasy said the association offers food to over 1,200 people in need of meals on the holidays. Repasy said local emergency service workers rely on volunteers to deliver a Christmas meal.
“The restaurants are giving away free meals and churches are starting to get more filled,” Repasy said. “And they’re just pleased to death that other people are helping, to help feed people, cause they’re is a lot of people that need help around here.”
Repasy said the community rallies around each other during the holidays, donating time and food to others struggling. Repasy said locals who do not participate in the meal delivery donate desserts or dishes. Repasy said 950 residents donated dressing for the delivery service the association provided at Thanksgiving.
“We have no trouble getting people to volunteer to help,” Repasy said. “And they enjoy doing it. We get in there, they come in about 8:30 in the morning and we’re probably done by 11.”
Repasy said this year the association will be able to help more people, as volunteers have increased. Repasy said volunteers put together and deliver the meals, taking 30 routes through the county to deliver all of the food to each person. Repasy said the food is pre-cooked for the volunteers to pack and deliver.
“We’re just here to help,” Repasy said. “Have people that, you know, they might have food but they don’t have a nice, good turkey meal or ham meal for Christmas. It’s just to help them celebrate their holidays.”
Repasy said anyone can receive a delivery, no matter their level of need.
Repasy said the association began making holiday deliveries about nine years ago. Repasy said the organization has delivered over 10,000 meals during its work.
“I think people just like to help, and it’s not that hard,” Repasy said. “And when you have a bunch of people coming together, they just enjoy it. We sit and talk, we have a good time. A lot of people are laughing when we’re loading up the trailers and just talking to each other. It’s like an assembly line, like people at work.”