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Local volunteers provide free meals for area residents

LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS Freida “Snoop” Toner places sliced chicken in salads for Thursday’s lunch.

FLEMINGTON — During these uncertain times one group is trying to provide one staple — a delicious home-cooked meal for lunch and dinner.

You might think the crew of volunteers operating out of The Red Eye Center daily have been working together for years, not weeks, as they cook and deliver hundreds of meals each day.

The group of about a dozen volunteers under the direction of Mike Toner and Tawnee Page have been cranking out about 700 free meals a day since last week.

Toner, who is the president of Keystone Babe Ruth Baseball, said he already had access to the kitchen at the center and the ability to provide the food.

Toner’s mom, Freida “Snoop” Toner, was working alongside her son. She and Tina Hackenberg bounced about the kitchen, prepping salads and ensuring each styrofoam container had a nice slice of cake for dessert.

LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS Cathy Redmond loads a tray of meals in her vehicle to be delivered.

Drew Dullen was busy slicing up tomatoes for salads.

“Memorial Day will make a year when I was in a motorcycle accident. The community came together for me and this is my way of giving back,” Dullen said.

Dullen helps in the kitchen, packing meals in boxes for delivery and also taking meals to homes.

“I do whatever they need me to do,” he said.

The group delivers meals from Rauchtown all the way to Ridgecrest in Centre County. And their numbers are continuing to grow as people call in and want to be included on the list.

LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS Mike Toner, who started the lunch and dinner deliveries, slices up cake for Thursday’s lunch.

Toner said they’d like to continue to provide meals throughout the crisis, but said donations could help make that possible.

“Right now we have food for at least another week,” he said.

Already many local businesses and individuals have donated both supplies and money, from Flemington Goodwill Hose Fire Company waiving rental fees for the center and Baby’s Burgers and Shakes in State College donating supplies.

“There’s so many people that I have yet to thank, but we’ll get there,” Toner promised as he sliced up chicken for Thursday’s lunch.

Anyone who is interested in donating food or supplies such as containers, foam cups with lids or boxes to carry the food can drop them off at the center anytime during the day. Monetary donations will also be accepted, Toner said.

LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS Drew Dullen slices tomatoes in the kitchen of the Red Eye Center on Thursday afternoon.

Volunteers are in the kitchen at 9 in the morning and typically don’t leave until 8 at night to make sure everything is prepped and ready to go the next day.

Page preps a list of stops for those delivering meals, split between areas in Mill Hall, the assisted living homes in Lock Haven and anywhere else they’ve been called.

Both Page and Toner said more volunteers could help streamline the process and ensure meals get to people quicker. “If you want to come volunteer you can just walk through the door,” Page said. Toner said 10 delivery drivers could help the workload for those who have been helping since they first began.

One volunteer has been helping since day one to get meals to those who need it. Gail Hoffman said a friend’s Facebook post lead her to volunteer. “She said it was an opportunity to serve and we’ve been here ever since,” she said.

Jen Brawn said she began to help when she saw a post on social media as well. “At a time like this you want to help,” she said.

LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS Dennis and Jennifer Oldt, from Tri County Church, count their meals before heading out on their first delivery.

Jen’s mother Cathy Redmond also began helping alongside her daughter with deliveries. “I can’t stand staying home not doing anything,” she said, noting that helping others was a much better alternative.

Page’s son Nash Welch, a junior at Central Mountain High School, has been helping his Mom since day one while schools are closed.

“I like helping. I’ve been here every day since last Wednesday from 9 a.m. to about 7 or 8 at night,” he said.

The center is still accepting take out and delivery orders. To be placed on the list for delivery, call Toner at 570-786-1343 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

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