By Laura Lane 331-4362 | llane@heraldt.comSeptember 22, 2012,
1973 a big year for cars and Meals on Wheels
I figure most of the Meals on Wheels delivered in Bloomington on a given day would fit nicely into the trunk of Joe Wilson’s 1973 olive green Buick Electra Limited.
Plus, the chrome-heavy boat of a car would turn heads in a parade.
It may be just the automobile Becky Hrisomalos is seeking.
Forty years ago next year, she was instrumental in establishing Bloomington’s Meals on Wheels program, which delivers two meals daily — a sack lunch and a hot dinner — to 82 customers in the city. A corps of 200 volunteers, who work at least one day per month, donate their time, cars and gasoline to make the service work.
So when Hrisomalos asked if I knew anyone with a car manufactured the same year Meal on Wheels became a reality, I was intrigued. Turns out she wants to use such a vehicle in Bloomington’s 2013 Fourth of July Parade to promote the 40th birthday of a program that takes healthy food to the doors of home-bound people.
“It would be great if we could get a convertible,” she said, “but it’s certainly not a requirement.”
Besides Wilson’s Buick, which I fell in love with when I wrote about it a year ago and would buy if I had some stashed cash, Betty Jo Lloyd’s red 1973 Buick Centurion convertible came to mind. Her husband, Dick, surprised her with it on their 30th wedding anniversary.
There have been other 1973s featured in my column, such as Jack Burch’s split-bumper Chevrolet Camaro RS.
And remember Roger Parks’ Cadillac Sedan DeVille, way too long to fit into his garage? Rowdy Bryant had a much-loved 1973 Ford Bronco and Rick Bennett had a great Plymouth Barracuda.
What about Larry and Bonnie Frye’s Volkswagen Super Beetle? She had to stop driving the car and cover up after his death because it was just too painful to drive the car without him in the passenger seat
And the AMC Hornet Paul Davis finally parked for good, with its spewing oil, rusted-through floorboard and 310,000 miles.
Or Deb Cory’s tiny pimento-red 1973 Triumph TR6, which would not be as good as Wilson’s Buick for meal delivery.
Local Meals on Wheels coordinator Kathy Romy said Bloomington volunteers transport meals in all sorts of vehicles. There are seven routes and 82 stops each midday for delivery.
Max and Jeri Dixon put their convertible top down on nice days, and volunteer Carol Huffman somehow fits all of her meals into a Mini Cooper.
So, if you have a vintage 1973 vehicle the program could use for the parade and in promotions, send or email me a picture with some information, and I will pass it along to the Meals on Wheels folks.
Or, consider becoming a driver or making a donation, half of which can be used as a state tax credit. Bloomington Meals on Wheels has 10 people on a waiting list and cannot deliver to them until they raise more funds.
Got a story to tell about a car or truck? Call 812-331-4362, send an e-mail to lane@heraldt.com or a letter to My Favorite Ride, P.O. Box 909, Bloomington, IN 47402.