RSVP teams with Sykes' to deliver groceries

The Daily Inter Lake

Sykes' Grocery & Market in Kalispell has teamed up with Agency on Aging's Retired and Senior Volunteer Program to keep groceries coming to the doors of about 30 disabled and elderly customers who depend on the service.

Jim Atkinson, executive director of the Agency on Aging, said RSVP needs additional volunteers to take orders, pack groceries and deliver groceries. People willing to help out should call 758-5712.

Plans call for the service to start this week with orders taken on Thursday for delivery on Friday.

Atkinson credited Bigfork resident Bill Myers with gathering local leaders together to find a solution when Mike McFarland, the new owner of Sykes', could no longer afford to provide the store to door service.

"He met with McFarland to discuss it, then called some community leaders together and asked what could be done," Atkinson said.

The group devised a plan to use volunteers through RSVP for the manpower, with a van and gasoline provided by McFarland. A few changes in the traditional service were necessary since Sykes' no longer offers store charge accounts.

A letter to existing customers explained that volunteers will accept checks for the deliveries, but not cash, since delivery people won't carry cash to make change. Customers must make arrangements in advance to use their credit or debit cards by calling the Sykes' store manager at 257-4304.

The service works as follows:

n Volunteers take grocery orders from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays over the delivery hotline - 758-2472 - at the Agency on Aging. Customers should not call the store. To make the transition easier in the first two weeks, volunteers will call regular customers who haven't placed an order by noon.

n RSVP people will deliver from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until all the orders have been delivered. People who aren't home will find note on their doors and their groceries will be taken back to the store.

Atkinson said volunteer opportunities include taking orders, packing orders and/or delivering groceries. He said continuing this crucial service depends on people in the community donating a few hours each week to help people maintain their independence.

At this time, the program will service only Sykes' existing delivery customers.

"We don't want to get inundated," Atkinson said.

For additional information, contact the RSVP office at 758-5712.