With the roar of chatter, the Puxico Oaks Nutrition Center overflowed with community members coming to support the facility and their meal programs to assist the elderly throughout the Puxico area.
On Friday afternoon, community members lined up to receive their ticket for the March For Meals fundraiser in which they were served a meal provided by the volunteers of the Nutrition Center.
When asked what the purpose of the March For Meals fundraiser was, Puxico Oaks Nutrition Center Administrator Heather Sifford explained, "The reason we have this event is to obtain funding for our meal programs we participate in - programs like Meals on Wheels."
Meals on Wheels is not just a program that benefits Puxico. The Puxico Oaks Nutrition Center serves multiple communities.
"We don't just help the Puxico community," Sifford explained. "We also serve Advance, Bloomfield, Wappapello, and other places in the Stoddard County area with frozen and hot meals."
The March For Meals fundraiser isn't the only event held to help raise money for the Center.
"We usually have an event every month to help out the costs for food and other needs." Sifford said. "Other events we have are like Bingo and other dinners."
Not everyone in the community was able to come on Friday but there are other ways for the community member to be involved in the needs of the Nutrition Center.
"Since we are a nonprofit organize, we appreciate all of the donations." Sifford explained. "There are other ways to help though - you can donate your time. We are always in needs of delivers, cooks, people to prepare food, and other tasks."
The Puxico Oaks Nutrition Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and serves meals to individuals 60 years and older when open.