One step at a time. One neighbor helping another. That’s the spirit behind the 49th Annual MEOC Walkathon, set for Sunday, May 4, at Bullitt Park in Big Stone Gap.
Each spring, walkers lace up their sneakers not just for exercise but to deliver hope to older adults in emergency heating crises. The Walkathon is MEOC’s largest annual fundraiser for the Emergency Fuel Fund, which provides emergency heating assistance to income-eligible older adults aged 60 and older in Lee, Scott and Wise counties and the City of Norton. Individuals must have incomes at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify. The program pays up to $300 on an electric bill or purchases two tons of coal, $300 worth of wood or 100 gallons of propane or heating oil. And it does so using only donated funds. No state or federal monies support the program.
Community support is needed more than ever to reach this year’s fundraising goal of $200,000. Organizers are calling on residents, churches, businesses and civic groups to help the cause.
EVENT DETAILS
The Walkathon will kick off at 2 p.m. on May 4 at Bullitt Park. The walk follows the scenic Greenbelt Trail. Registration begins at 1 p.m., and all are welcome.
Here’s how you can help.
✔ Walk. Call MEOC at (276) 523-4202 to get a pledge form and start collecting donations. Raise at least $100 to receive a Walkathon T-shirt.
✔ Donate. Can’t walk? You can still support the cause.
- Visit www.meoc.organd click “Donate.”
- Text DONATEto (276) 242-3525.
- Mail a check to MEOC, P.O. Box 888, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219.
✔ Spread the word. Share the event with family, friends, coworkers, and church groups. Every conversation helps.
Want to know more? Call MEOC at (276) 523-4202 to get involved.
A NEED GREATER THAN EVER
The fuel fund closed out the most recent season on March 31, having helped 1,143 individuals at the expense of more than $257,000, which was a record year for the program. “The number of people assisted and the amount spent this past season tell a powerful story,” MEOC Emergency Services Director Marsha Craiger said. “We had a record-breaking winter, and that’s not a record you want to break. We anticipate helping the same number or more people next year,” she added.
The numbers — people served and amount spent — are important to illustrate the need. Craiger, however, looks even beyond that. “I don’t just see the figures. When I look at those totals, I see the people they represent,” she stated.
The calls received from those seeking help can be heartbreaking. “One recent case that immediately comes to mind involves a cancer patient receiving hospice care. His nurse called on his behalf because he was unable to speak. He was literally in his last days of life and facing a cutoff notice for his power.
“And we had call after call from people who simply couldn’t afford their electric bills because they skyrocketed to more than $1,000 in a month’s time,” Craiger continued. “If your income is $1,200 per month and your electric bill is $1,000, it’s impossible for you to pay it and have enough money to live on. That’s what some people were facing.”
Sixty-nine-year-old Michael Shuffler of Gate City is among those who are thankful for the fuel fund. This past winter, Shuffler found himself in a cold home with an electric bill he couldn’t afford.
He had worked hard his whole life — first in manufacturing, where he helped make hubcaps and stovepipes, then later in housekeeping at a regional hospital, with jobs like cutting timber thrown in along the way. He retired several years ago.
Shuffler and his wife Carla lived on his family’s homeplace until her death three years ago after a 46-year marriage. His chronic health problems worsened after retirement. As his health declined, so did his ability to keep up with repairs on the aging home. Cold air poured in, and his power bills shot up. When the charges became unmanageable, he turned to MEOC for help.
The Emergency Fuel Fund covered a portion of his bill, and an MEOC care coordinator was able to find other community resources to pay the remainder. Beyond that, the care coordinator also guided him through the process of finding safer housing. Shuffler is grateful he will no longer face days bundled up in layers of clothes, a toboggan and overalls but still feeling the chill.
“I’m so thankful for all the help MEOC has given me,” Shuffler said. “It got me out of the cold. Being cold and being hungry will make you think — and appreciate life,” he said.