TAKOMA PARK RESIDENT TRIKES DOOR TO DOOR SERVING MEALS, SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT, FINDING SOLACE AS MEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEER
John Salmen, 72, Cares for Self and Others During Recumbent Bike Meal Delivery
TAKOMA PARK, MD– For many these days, it feels harder to carve out time to devote to others, but every Monday and Wednesday, John Salmen shows that it can still be done. He pedals away from his Takoma Park home to deliver prepared meals to local residents in need–as long as he can do so from his recumbent tricycle.
“It was the perfect solution for what I was looking for in terms of fulfilling time that also helped me,” said Salmen, a Meals on Wheels Takoma/Silver Spring volunteer. “I was looking for something I could do on my trike. I realized this was a way to kill a bunch of birds with one stone. I wanted to be able to exercise, help people and be outdoors. It’s good for the recipients, it’s good for the community, it’s good for me, and it’s good for the earth!”
When a Meals on Wheels Takoma Park delivery route opened up that was bike friendly, Salmen excitedly exchanged his car for his recumbent Terra trike. In order to successfully deliver to 10 residents, he rigged his tricycle with an attachment cart to put food coolers on and added electric assist to make it easy to go up hills to pull his trailer.
“We are so honored when our Meals on Wheels volunteers go the extra mile–literally–and John is a true example of that,” said Ruth Masterson Executive Director of Meals on Wheels Takoma Park/Silver Spring. “We were excited he could make accommodations to his trike so that he could not only deliver to our clients in the area, but also be in the community with them and our staff. When they see him coming, it brightens their day and adds an extra conversation piece. We love our volunteers and are always looking for new ones.”
Founded in 1971 as an independent community-based nonprofit, the program serves residents in Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Langley Park, Chillum and Adelphi. People in these communities rely on Meals on Wheels’ essential service to remain healthy and independent at home, now even more so as we move beyond a lingering pandemic and high inflation.
“All of the clients are so appreciative of the meals. I’m amazed every time I get these unique and sincere thanks from them,” said Salmen. “There is one guy who was an avid biker and can’t do it anymore. When he sees me coming we have a nice conversation about the bike. He’s impressed to see me on the bike.”
The proud septuagenarian said in addition to saving the environment, the benefits of relying on a recumbent tricycle included relieving weight from one’s shoulders, elbows and wrists which, on a bike, are used to hold a bicyclist up by the handlebars. As a result, energy goes into driving the trike, rather than trying to support oneself. Furthermore, when riding a recumbent tricycle, the rider can’t tip over, and it is easy to maneuver, start and stop.
“For someone who has vertigo, like me, it’s important to be able to stay up,” said Salmen. “You can hardly get hurt on these things as opposed to falling from the height of a bike.”
People in the communities rely on Meals on Wheels’ essential service to remain healthy and independent at home, now even more so after a lingering pandemic and high inflation. In addition to preparing and delivering nutritious hot and cold meals to homebound residents, Meals on Wheels Takoma Park/Silver Spring saves families thousands of dollars by allowing loved ones to remain in the comfort of their own home and still receive sustenance. One year of Meals on Wheels’ service costs less than just one overnight in a hospital or 10 days in an assisted living institution.
Additional photos and video available upon request.
For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute or speak out for Meals on Wheels Takoma Park/Silver Spring, visit mowtakoma.org.
Meals on Wheels of Takoma Park/Silver Spring is proud to be a member of Meals on Wheels America, a membership association that supports local organizations like us, providing research and advocacy, educational programs, and networking opportunities to strengthen small organizations across the country.