50 Years of Meals on Wheels in Rockland

On Monday, October 20th, Meals on Wheels Rockland will host a celebration of our organization hitting the half century mark. The organization will be honoring the volunteers, staff and supporters that have made it all possible. Cornucopia, the annual fall gala will be extra special this year as the nonprofit recognizes their half a century milestone and makes updates on this unique event. The event takes place on October 20th from 5:30pm-10:00pm at Edgewood Country Club in River Vale, NJ.

The evening will begin with a more robust cocktail party creating small bites that will be a “taste around the world”. In the ballroom, dinner will be prepared table-side by the area’s finest chefs. The chefs will help make this a night to remember by teaming up to curate a custom menu for the guests at their tables. Guests will enjoy the unique dining experience, banter with two chefs and a toast to fifty years of helping homebound Rockland Seniors.

Dining Room Chefs

• Aroma Artisan Italian, Chef Angela Gomez, Ridgewood, NJ

• Brasserie D, Chef Alain Eigenmann, Nyack, NY

• Dolce Vita, Chef Sadik Demir, Nyack, NY

• DPNB Pasta & Provisions and Louie’s Next Door, Chef Tony Scotto, Nyack, NY

• Edgewood Country Club, Chef Johnny Vitale, River Vale, NJ

• Gatsby Alley, Chef Rodrigo Novoa, Ridgewood, NJ

• Karenderya, Chef Paulo Mendoz, Nyack, NY

• Little Dean’s, Chef Constantine Kalandanis, Nyack, NY

• Lynch’s On The Green, Chef Juan Magna, Thiells, NY

• Mystic Flavor Catering, Chef Connie Ann Kearny

• Norcina, Chef Franz Christerer, New City, NY

• Roost, Chef Kevin Reilly, Sparkill, NY

• The ’76 House, Chef Thomas Markowski, Tappan, NY

Cocktail Party Chefs

• Baileys Smokehouse, Blauvelt and New City, NY

• Greektown, Chef Michael Constantinides, Pearl River, NY

• La Talaye Catering & Event Design, Chef Michelle Timothee, Haverstraw, NY

• Maura’s Kitchen, Chef Maura Azanedo, Nyack, NY

• Pizzetiello, Chef Daniel Nizzarnini, Pearl River, NY

• Meals on Wheels Commissary, Chef Pierre Opont, Nanuet, NY

Among the honorees will be the Rockland Meals on Wheels founder, Shelly Berger. Shelly recognized a need in the Rockland community for home delivered meals for seniors and she and a consortium of volunteers from the National Council of Jewish Women alongside other volunteer groups formed a grass roots coalition to plan for and develop a meal program for the homebound. The organization began in Shelly’s home and the first meals, prepared by the Northern Metropolitan Nursing Home, were delivered in January 1975. Kevin Hardy, President CEO of Meals on Wheels Rockland shares “Thank you to Shelly and everyone along the way, who got us to where we are today. Meals on Wheels empowers older adults who choose to age in place with independence and dignity. It begins with a meal and delivers so much more. The results include a reduction in loneliness, decreased food insecurity and fewer trips to the hospital.”

  Aroma Artisan, Brasserie D, Cornucopia, Dolce Vita, DPNB, meals on wheels, older adults, Rockland, rockland seniors, shelly berger