COSTA MESA : Firefighters Deliver Food to Seniors

Firefighters, who have become concerned about many elderly people they assist on emergency calls, are helping to make sure they have food during the winter holidays.

“When we run on these medical aid calls, we see how they are living, and they definitely need help,” said firefighter Marc Yuhasz.

Yuhasz and other off-duty firefighters delivered turkeys and other food to 15 senior citizens Monday1, in a new project that will probably be repeated at Christmastime.

The senior citizens were chosen by Marilyn Connors, the social service coordinator at the Senior Center. Most of the people helped were more than 70 years old.

With his son Robert, 3, and two other firefighters, Yuhasz delivered turkey, pumpkin pie, bread, corn, yams and other food.

The turkeys were donated by a Vons store on Harbor Boulevard, and the Costa Mesa Firefighters Assn. contributed $500 for the additional food.

“It went really well,” said Connors, who also helped deliver the food. “We had some people who felt they shouldn’t have received it, but they were all grateful.”

She said all of the senior citizens needed the food, but some were shy about accepting it. Yuhasz said his young son helped ease the situation.

Connors said the senior citizens who were given food Monday also need visits from volunteers, or even just checkup phone calls from people. People who want to volunteer should call Connors at (714) 645-2356.

The Senior Center helps about 20 people who are too frail to leave their homes to come to the center for meals or assistance, Connors said.