After Meals on Wheels founder Elizabeth Janusz and long-time coordinator Bernice Clark, few names are as closely tied to the program’s legacy as Gail Wilson and Patty Tipton. For more than two decades, they were the steady hands guiding the program through one of its biggest changes: the transition from a stand-alone organization to becoming part of Community Care Peterborough.
Patty joined the Meals on Wheels office team in 1997, followed by Gail in 1999. The two were already close friends—brought together years earlier when their daughters met in Grade 1—and their friendship would soon become one of the program’s greatest strengths. “When we needed someone, I immediately thought of Gail,” said Patty. “If we didn’t have each other, we wouldn’t have made it through,” added Gail.
They remember the late 1990s and early 2000s as a time when many stand-alone Meals on Wheels programs were joining larger organizations. It was the right decision—but not without growing pains. “It was a huge adjustment for the volunteers,” Gail recalled. “We had to encourage them to stick with it and show them how much Community Care could offer.” Their calm, compassionate approach helped ease the transition and ensured the program’s continued success.
Over the years, much has changed. The client population is more diverse. The meals more sophisticated. Technology has replaced the label-maker and corkboard that once organized daily deliveries. But for Gail and Patty, what matters most has stayed the same. “It’s not just a meal,” said Patty. “It’s a check on people. A smile. A safety net.”
Some memories are lighthearted—like the time a client thought an olive was a metal washer, or the bat that startled Bernice in the Queen Alexandra washroom. Others are more sobering, like the clients who had no one else, or the time a volunteer’s wellness check helped a vulnerable woman get the care she needed.
Patty retired in 2021, Gail in early 2022. After taking time off, both returned—this time as volunteers. They couldn’t stay away. “Meals on Wheels has stood the test of time,” said Gail. “And Community Care is an amazing place to be part of.”
Together, they continue to deliver more than meals. They deliver compassion, continuity, and care—just as they always have.
