For Meals on Wheels, it's home sweet home
It was a kind of homecoming Saturday for the Butler County Meals on Wheels program.
And head cook Roberta McCaslin couldn't be happier.
“When you get out of your element,” she said, “it can be a little difficult. It was different having to go to another kitchen. But I'm back home now.”
Flooding caused by a burst pipe Dec. 31 temporarily forced meal preparation from the program's headquarters at St. Peter's Anglican Church on East Jefferson Street to St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church.
The move was made Jan. 6 to St. Michael on Center Avenue after hot water damaged dry food, paper products, office supplies, furniture, printers and other electronics, and the floor and walls.
The kitchen in the basement at St. Peter's was not damaged, said Mary Pataky, executive director, but the decision to suspend cooking and meal preparation there was prompted by concern over possible unhealthy particles in the air during the drying and renovation process.
But the HQ got the OK after a favorable air quality test Tuesday.
Staff and volunteers, including Pataky's husband, Dave, and son-in-law, Cory Tucek, as well as a couple of Butler Eagle employees just after noon Saturday began hauling back pots and pans, other kitchen utensils, canned goods and the like to St. Peter's.
“It's wonderful to be home,” said Pataky of Summit Township. “It was a little lonely to be here all by myself. We're like family. I missed everybody.”
Pataky's office had to be moved down the hall due to the flooding but she remained at St. Peter's while the cooking and delivery crews worked out of St. Michael.
Although Saturday was moving-back-in day, the kitchen at St. Peter's won't be open to serve the program's 105 clients until Monday.
McCaslin can't wait.
“The major difference (at St. Michael) was the electric stove and how massive the kitchen was,” she said. “I kind of know my own oven and stoves here.”
She is pleased to be back cooking with gas at St. Peter's.
McCaslin has been a fixture at Meals on Wheels for 35 years — 28 of those as head cook. She's already planning Monday's first meal back.
“Broccoli and cheese soup,” she said. That in part is in keeping with the program's schedule.
“We have soup twice every month,” McCaslin said, “and Monday happens to be soup day.”
Herself a nearly 25-year veteran of Meals on Wheels, 10 as executive director, Pataky noted that while things are slowly returning to normal at headquarters, remaining flood repair work will take months.
Some of the renovations will include ceiling, carpet and light fixture replacement, and a little painting.
Pataky once again expressed her appreciation to the community — businessmen, civic leaders and private citizens — for their monetary and in-kind donations as well as moral support during the program's time of trouble.
“We are blessed to be home,” she said, “and we are so blessed to be part of this community.”
