Congratulations to a husband and wife team, Pat & Gary Wrightman, our Volunteer(s) of the Quarter for September 2018!

More than a year ago, Pat was prompted to check in to volunteering for MOWSV when she read that Trump wanted to get rid of the Meals on Wheels programs. Pat started as a volunteer in June 2017 and, soon after, encouraged her husband to come along with her. “I saw Pat enjoying her time at Meals on Wheels, so I decided to volunteer too,’” says Gary, Pat’s husband.

Both Pat and Gary enjoy meeting the new clients and being able to help people. “This was the same reasoning that started Gary’s career in law enforcement,” said Pat. Gary was a Deputy Sherriff for Monterey County for 25 years before retiring a few years ago. Previous to his service in law enforcement, he served 5 years with Kern County Fire and 10 years as a small business owner.

Pat was able to retire after 10 years as a Classified employee with the Salinas Unified School District. Previous to that, she worked 15 years in Monterey County at Natividad Hospital in the Office of Emergency Services.

In both of their long careers, there was a common thread; helping others. Both Pat and Gary emphasized how much it means to them to be able to help others. At Meals on Wheels they have the ability to assess the well-being of every senior they deliver meals to.  Volunteering has allowed them to form connections with everybody on their routes. They look forward to seeing the clients each week.

In their free time, aside from their volunteer activities, Pat and Gary enjoy gardening and spoiling their dogs and cats. They have shared some of the bounty from their lemon tree with staff and volunteers at MOWSV! Also, Gary works as the Night Manager/Chief of Security at Montage Wellness Center in Salinas. He enjoys sharing all the benefits of the Wellness Center with those who are interested to learn.

Pat and Gary have been residents of Salinas since 1985.  They have a son who lives in Salinas with their two grandchildren, ages 5 and 11.

Thank you, Pat and Gary, for being such reliable and hard-working volunteers. We appreciate all you do for Meals on Wheels. Congratulations on being our Volunteers of the Quarter!