Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Bill and Fran


On a cheerful afternoon at Greencroft, Middlebury nutrition site, one would notice the bright decorations in spirit of upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day. There’s a small bustle of conversation between the senior citizens. Tina, the site director, is greeting guests at the door. She is in charge at this particular site and warmly invites everyone in. 

83 year old couple, Bill and Fran, are frequent guests at the REAL Service’s nutrition site located at Greencroft Living Facility. Both are in an uplifting mood due to the glorious 75 and sunny weather that graced Middlebury on that March afternoon. 

The lively couple began telling their story at the moment they fell in love- high school. Bill went into the Navy right after high school and Fran explained “we wrote until he got out [of the Navy] and then we got married.” They married in 1953, lived in Elkhart for 15 years, before moving to a small farm in Goshen for 42 years. Fran enjoyed working as an accountant in between having three children. Bill described his wide range of career accomplishments starting with his Navy work on the world’s largest air craft carrier at the time, the USS Coral Sea. He then spent time working in a factory, a publishing company, a TV station, and finally retired as a postman after delivering mail for 32 years. 

Now residents of Middlebury for the past 7 years, Bill and Fran’s most cherished moments are times spent with their 3 children, 9 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. They also give back to the community by volunteering at church and other local organizations including the REAL Services nutrition site. The Greencroft nutrition site began 5 years ago and is one of 37 nutrition sites across Northern Indiana sponsored by REAL Services. 

“I enjoy the people here,” Fran says. The couple attends lunch together at the nutrition site 3-4 times per week. Bill explains that guests not only have the opportunity to receive a nutritious meal 5 times per week, but they also have to chance to receive social interaction with their friends and neighbors. “The people here are not only getting a meal, but they’re getting the chance to be with other people,” Fran confirms.

The REAL Services nutrition program promotes better health among older adults through improved nutrition and social interaction derived from group participation. Bill and Fran worked hard by volunteering their time to help REAL Services get the nutrition site at Greencroft up and running. They knew that the site would be very beneficial to many residents at their living facility. “People would really miss it,” Fran says. Both Bill and Fran give credit to the site director, Tina, for making it an inviting place to go have lunch. 

Leaving the couple’s warm presence as they sit down with the other guests to enjoy their hot lunch, it is easy to see the happiness they all receive from being at the nutrition site. Bill and Fran thank REAL Services on behalf of the rest of the guests for its contribution to the community.

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