Lake Spivey Senior Men's Club donates to Meals on Wheels

The Clayton County Senior Services Department's Meal on Wheels program received more than $2,000, from the Lake Spivey Senior Men's Golf Association, to help provide meals for homebound seniors throughout Clayton County. According to the Director of Clayton County Senior Services Mary Byrd, the $2,440 donated will help homebound seniors, who qualify for the program, to receive at least one meal per day. The check was presented to Mary Byrd and the Meals on Wheels program, on Tuesday, at the Lake Spivey Golf Club, in Jonesboro. "It costs us [Senior Services] $670 to feed one person per year [who participates in the Meals on Wheels program]," said Byrd. The Meals on Wheels program delivers meals to 250 homebound seniors across Clayton County, according to senior services officials. Byrd explained that the program is mostly funded through grant funds, but a lot of the funding has been cut recently. "Contributions like this, supplement some of the fund cuts," Byrd said. The Lake Spivey Senior Men's Club Golf Association has been making donations to the organization for about 20 years, according to Lake Spivey Senior Men's Golf Association President, Martin Knotts. The association is made up of approximately 100 members, who play golf, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The minimum age to become a member is 55, and currently the oldest member actively playing is in his mid to late eighties, Knotts said. The founders, of the association, felt that those who could assist should do so, said Knotts. "Some members feel like it is their duty," he added. Knotts explained that the funds for charities are collected from members throughout the year. "We have a charity week..we play tournaments specifically for charities," Knotts said. "We are going to embark on a campaign that will assist the Meals on Wheels program, in 2011," Mary Byrd emphasized. She said more details on the campaign will be disclosed, in coming weeks.