For the 11th straight year, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner and the entire Township Council planned to take several hours away from their families on Thanksgiving Day to distribute turkey dinners to the approximately 50 residents who are homebound and did not have anywhere to go for the holiday.
With funds from the Weehawken and You Civic Organization, Turner and his council purchased the dinners with all the trimmings and went to the residents of the elderly who normally receive Meals on Wheels dinners that are suspended over the holidays.
"Because Meals on Wheels do not deliver on the holidays, they probably deliver two meals on the day before the holiday," Turner said. "Well, that’s not the same thing as having a hot meal on Thanksgiving Day. So we go out, purchase the meals and deliver them. It’s hard to get people to deliver the food, so we do it ourselves."
Turner said that he actually enjoys the opportunity he gets to deliver the meals because he’s able to have interaction with the seniors, residents that he might not normally have a chance to address.
"We get a chance to sit and talk with them, address some of their concerns and problems," Turner said. "There have been many times that we have been able to help these people with their various problems, like whether they’re getting their proper medicine, or rent problems."
There is another aspect to Turner’s personal greetings.
"There are some people who are just lonely and don’t get out," Turner said. "They rely upon us to come around and make their days special. And it becomes special for us, because what usually should take an hour or so becomes three and four hours. You can’t just drop off the meals and leave."
Turner said that the meetings are also beneficial to him as the township’s premier administrator.
"Every year, we have one or two people who confide in us, who wouldn’t tell their problems otherwise," Turner said. "We’re able to give this service without putting pressure on our employees to take time away from their families. They would be willing to do so, but it’s so beneficial to us. It has been very beneficial to us in the past. We have that one-on-one contact with people and they wait for us to come around."
Turner said that everyone gets a good feeling out of being so helpful.
"It really turns out to be a wonderful Thanksgiving morning," Turner said. "We’re able to get updates on our residents while we feel good that we’re doing something good for people who need it."