Volunteer Margaret Kennedy Brings Joy to Homebound Residents Through Meals on Wheels-August 6, 1976

⠀

By local standards, Margaret Kennedy may still be considered a newcomer, but she is anything but an outsider. Though she has claimed residency in Norwood for only eight years, she has been a familiar face in town for 27 years, frequently visiting her daughter Peg Woodard and son-in-law George at 55 Nichols St. More importantly, she serves as a veteran cog in the delivery network of Norwood’s Meals on Wheels program, acting as a special friend to disabled and homebound residents who eagerly await the arrival of her light blue car. This dedication comes 15 years after one of her sons suggested she turn in her driver’s license at age 60—advice she rebuffed with a phone call, remembering with a sly grin how that same son handed her the keys to his car the following summer.

As a volunteer, Mrs. Kennedy spends one day every other week delivering hot and cold meals to those unable to prepare a proper diet themselves, including a disabled war veteran, several women in their 80s, and a 94-year-old man. During an interview yesterday, she emphasized the ongoing need for more volunteer packers and drivers to make routes faster and ensure food arrives hot. At age 75, Mrs. Kennedy maintains an exceptionally active retirement centered entirely on helping others. She serves as secretary for the Norwood chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and program chairman for the Senior Ladies of Norwood, a group of 50 women who visit nursing homes, knit afghans for older patients, and dress dolls for hospitalized children. Additionally, she volunteers weekly as a cashier in the Norwood Hospital coffee shop and remains active in the Senior Citizens Drop-In Center. In recognition of her service, she received a citation a few years ago from the state Department of Elder Affairs.

Reflecting on her life and personal tragedies—including being suddenly widowed 20 years ago as a mother of six, and losing her son Lawrence, an Air National Guard lieutenant colonel and pilot, in an airplane crash a decade ago—Mrs. Kennedy stressed resilience and purpose. After six months of grief, she returned to school for a refresher course and secured a job at a bank, stating, “I felt the need for something to do and I’ve been going ever since.” Balancing her extensive volunteer work with personal milestones like beginning Christmas shopping for her 44 grandchildren every September, she remains deeply content. “I just have something doing every day,” she said. “There just are not enough days. I have a family that keeps me going… They don’t make me feel like an old lady.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger