The new faces behind the revived Nevada County Toy Run will pick up the mantle after longtime organizer Thom Staser announced earlier this year that he would not continue the toy run.
Submitted to The Union
“The years and the miles have added up fast,” said Everette Burkard, as he celebrates his 30th anniversary as a Meals on Wheels volunteer driver.
“I signed up in 1991, after retiring from a 40-year career with the federal civil service,” he said. “I never imagined that volunteering would become a lifestyle, but it certainly has for me.”
In earlier years, his wife Faye would accompany him on his delivery routes. After she died, Burkard’s 100-year-old dad, Oscar, would occasionally join him.
“Helping homebound seniors is rewarding in a very personal way. The connection goes well beyond simply providing food. It’s an opportunity to make sure the people on your route are healthy and safe,” he explained. “Many become friends. For example, one elderly couple had a playful, miniature poodle named Annie. While delivering meals, I’d often take a moment or two to throw a ball or toy for her to fetch. Eventually, her owners had to move to a con