The Kingfisher Wheatheart Nutrition program, including the site in Kingfisher, observed its 50th anniversary Tuesday.

Wheatheart Nutrition Project, Inc. prepares and serves congregate and home bound meals in an eight county area.

The menus are developed by a Registered Dietician and provide one-third the daily allowances established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council.

The purpose of the project is to serve midday meals to persons age 60 or older, promote social activities, support services, and to provide outreach information and referral on topics of interest to senior citizens.

Nutrition education and counseling are also available.

If you or a family member is interested in attending a congregate meals site or need a meal and have questions about services or would like to schedule a meal reservation, please call a Wheatheart’s office, Terri Dains, outreach coordinator said.

Meal reservations need to be called in 24 hours in advance so that adequate food will be available for all visitors.

LaDonna Terrell is site manager of Kingfisher Wheatheart.

Meals are served beginning at 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday at the Masonic Lodge Hall at 1605 S. Main in Kingfisher.

The meals also may be delivered to citizens 60 and older.

Some 500 meals are delivered daily systemwide, a spokesperson reported.

Dains, outreach director for Wheatheart stationed in the Blackwell headquarters, was present for the local observance, along with Tamara Stasyszen, advantage coordinator, and Alicia Hatfield, administrative assistant.

Dains said that she is available for Kingfisher County residents on an as-needed basis for assistance in receiving such needs as prescription assistance, transportation, hearing aids, glasses, food, counseling, VA resources and nutrition education.

Anthony Schwarz, District 3 Kingfisher County commissioner, serves on the Wheatheart board of directors.

Wheatheart serves 13 centers in eight counties, including Billings, Blackwell, Cherokee, Enid, Garber, Helena, Kingfisher, Newkirk, Perry, Pond Creek, Ringwood, Tonkawa and Watonga, sending seven trucks to the centers daily.

Terrell oversees the meal site in Kingfisher as well as delivering meals to the home-bound.

The center may be contacted by phone for reservations. Kingfisher Wheatheart is listed in the Kingfisher directory under Wheatheart.

Wheatheart is a non-profit organization funded through the Long-Term Care Authority of Enid Area Agency on Aging, with state and federal funds under Title III of the Older Americans Act of 1964. There is no charge for meals but donations are accepted.

Wheatheart Nutrition Project Inc. makes no distinction in the provision of services on the grounds of race, color, handicaps or national origin in accordance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.