John Olson can always be counted on to deliver with a smile, whether he is bringing meals to shut-ins, driving clients to an appointment or polishing his reputation as the "Candy Man".
In the last 10 years, Olson has clocked more than 3,000 hours of volunteer time for Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Inc. (KAFASI).
Dana Tehako-Esser, KAFASI Volunteer Services Coordinator, describes him as "One of our sweetest volunteers and a huge asset to the organization. Literally, we would be lost without him."
The 69-year-old Olson, who retired from American Motors Corp. in 1988, delivers Meals on Wheels twice a week, sometimes more. The size of his the routes vary from 6 to 14 meals, usually picked up at Kenosha Achievement Center for delivery to shut-ins.
"You get to know the people on your route," says Olson. "You can't spend a lot of time talking, though, because other people are waiting for their meals too."
Olson and his fellow drivers get to know the habits of those they serve. On one delivery, the house was too quiet and Olson knew something was wrong. He found the elderly client lying on the floor and quickly called 911.
Paramedics were able to stabilize the man and transport him to the hospital.
KAFASI also counts on Olson to be a Volunteer Escort, a program that serves those who are ambulatory, but have difficulty using commercial transportation services due to age or impairment.
Through the Volunteer Escort program, Kenosha County seniors are able to keep medical appointments locally and in other cities. Shopping for groceries, prescriptions and other necessary items also is made possible by the Volunteer Escort program.
Requests for rides must be made 48 hours in advance and riders pay a fee based on established travel zones.
Olson says when the trip is for a routine doctor's appointment, the volunteer driver will wait until the client is finished. But in the case of a lengthy appointment, such as chemotherapy or kidney dialysis, one driver delivers the patient to the medical facility and another will make the return trip.
The versatile Olson also can be relied upon to volunteer for KAFASI's Friendly Visitor program. Once a month, he goes to the Shalom Center and loads up federally-provided commodities and delivers them to low income people who have no way to get the food supplies to their home.
Asked how he got his "Candy Man" nickname, Olson said he always carries a supply of wrapped candies in his pocket and hands them out to friends and strangers alike.
"John gives out candy to the staff whenever he stops by and is endearingly called the "Candy Man", said Tehako-Esser. "He is absolutely wonderful and a dear, dear man."
Olson was born in Eau Claire, but moved to Kenosha in 1958 to work at AMC. He and his wife, Shirley, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last Thanksgiving.
The couple has four daughters, Patricia, Margaret and Carolyn, who live out-of-town, and Karen, who is a Kenoshan. They have a total of six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Besides volunteering for KAFASI, Olson's other consuming interest is close harmony, singing tenor with various barbershop quartettes for the past 40 years.
John Olson is a valued volunteer, says Tehako-Esser, but the Meals on Wheels program is in serious need of more folks like him to deliver hot meals to homebound elders and disabled people in the community.
For those interested in knowing more about the program and how they may help and make a difference, call Dana Tehako-Esser at 262.658.3508, extension 120, or e-mail volunteer@mcleodusa.net.
