April 7, 2007

The Elliot Corps gets an 'A' for its 'J's and 'L's

In foreground at right, Jane Reed marks food containers with a "J." Anne Kelly, left, and Lou Crites tackle their own piles of styrofoam containers one recent Monday.

Marking trays by dietary code is a daily task and an essential one. The marks help Friendship Trays deliver on the promise of providing food appropriate to every individual recipient.  The codes guide kitchen crews as they fill the containers. And they help volunteers make sure they deliver the right food to each person.

Many individuals help with this task, but the Elliot Corps has its own special story.

Ann Elliot, below left, was a co-founder of Friendship Trays in 1976. She knew that some of her friends at a Charlotte  retirement community would enjoy and benefit from an afternoon trip out regularly. One such friend from high school is Gertrude Hodges, shown below right.

So Elliot pleaded and encouraged and cajoled. Monday jaunts to Friendship Trays began with Elliot and Hodges, and have expanded to include additional friends.

Elliot is shown at her own task of marking and then sorting bags by delivery route number.

All of the women know, says Elliot, that the work is important. "And it gives them all a feeling of accomplishment, which they richly deserve," she says.

Visitors to Friendship Trays occasionally marvel at how organized the place is. They comment on how a complex task has been broken down into small parts. Most of the tasks require either presence at Friendship Trays' South End kitchen, or the time to pick up and deliver meals over a lunch hour.

If you or a group you're a part of would like to play a role, contact Volunteer Coordinator Lani Lawrence by e-mail or at 704-333-9229.