EATON — Preble County Council on Aging (PCCOA) announced last week it will be participating in the 17th annual March for Meals — a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meals on Wheels for senior neighbors who rely on this vital service to remain healthy and independent at home.

PCCOA’s celebration will include various activities throughout the month of March, including Big Wheels Take Meals (March 11-15,) when elected officials, local celebrities, and other prominent figures deliver meals, speak out for seniors, and raise awareness for the power of Meals on Wheels.

“The services we provide are a lifeline for seniors of Preble County and the need is rapidly increasing,” said Shelley Ratliff, Executive Director of PCCOA. “Together, we can keep our senior neighbors well-nourished, feeling safer and more connected to our community as they age.”

The annual March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. Since 2002, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country have joined forces for the annual awareness campaign to celebrate this successful public-private partnership and garner the support needed to fill the gap between the seniors served and those still in need.

“The month of March is a fitting time to not only celebrate the successful history of Meals on Wheels, but also bring us together to support a solution that will strengthen communities into the future,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “With 12,000 Americans turning 60 each day, now is the time to invest in these vital programs so that we can provide every senior in need with the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that will enable them to live healthier and independent in their own homes.”

For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute, or speak out for the seniors in Preble County call 937-456-4947, or email [email protected].