Merrillville Woman Retires from Meals on Wheels after 39 Years

Sue-DeGanAfter 39 successful years of servicing the Northwest Indiana community through her involvement in Meals on Wheels, art enthusiast and theater appreciator Sue DeGan of Merrillville plans to focus on some of her other passions as a new retiree.

DeGan has been involved with MOW since 1977 when she supervised the program out of First United Methodist Church in Merrillville. For the past 26 years, DeGan managed the Merrillville delivery route calendars for MOW of Northwest Indiana, which now operates primarily out of its location in Merrillville. Her job was to schedule volunteers for up to six delivery routes at a time, five days a week.

Up until recently, DeGan remained active on delivery routes by filling in when volunteers cancelled. She would drive every route at least once a month to ensure that houses were delivered to in a logical order, making the volunteers’ jobs easier.

DeGan also enjoyed training new volunteers by having them shadow her on delivery routes.

“Volunteers get as much out of the experience as clients do,” said DeGan. “And people do get attached to clients. I get attached to the volunteers – they’re nice people!”

MOW Volunteer Manager Joan Vith enjoyed working with DeGan for several years and says she was great at keeping in touch with and visiting clients.

“Sue is very active,” said Vith. “I’m sure she will continue making plans in her retirement. Calendar prep always interrupted her busy social life,” she laughed.

Outside of her work with the nonprofit, DeGan stays busy traveling to and from Chicago, her favorite place in the world besides the Indiana Dunes. She especially enjoys visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, where she is a member of the Northwest Indiana chapter of Community Associates.

DeGan’s passion for the arts extends to the theater, and she regularly attends shows at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, the Goodman Theater, the Courte Theatre of the University of Chicago, and Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso.

In her retirement, DeGan plans to spend time with her family, which consists of her daughter, two sons, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Her family has also dedicated time to MOW in the past, as they would accompany DeGan on delivery routes when they came to visit her.

DeGan’s hope for the future is that people will continue to volunteer their time to MOW.

“If someone has time to give, even one day a month or more, they’re going to get more enjoyment out of it than they realize,” said DeGan.

Founded in 1977, Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana is a nonprofit serving Lake County, Indiana. Meals on Wheels delivers meals to those in need five days a week using community volunteers. Funding for meals is provided by individuals receiving meals, private foundations, grants and donations. More information about Meals on Wheels can be found at www.mownwi.org