This article appeared in the May 2026 issue of Spark magazine.
Gary Ausema has lived in Kalamazoo since his family moved here from the Netherlands when he was eight. After retiring, Gary’s wife, Nancy, learned about Milestone Senior Services’ Meals on Wheels program which provides meals to older adults in the community who lack access to adequate nutrition. Gary and Nancy looked in to how they could get involved and soon became regular volunteers delivering meals in Kalamazoo. Gary says he’s been very blessed, and there is much to be thankful for. He recognizes that others are not as fortunate, and he has always had a passion for helping however he can.
Gary and his wife loved the volunteer work with Milestone from the day they began. They started with a driving route back in 2020, during COVID; but since then, they have switched to doing delivery at an apartment complex. The two of them do Crosstown Parkway Senior Apartments on Wednesday, and Gary also does delivery at Hope Woods Senior Apartments on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This means Gary is volunteering three days each week which makes an enormous impact.
Milestone’s home delivered meals program depends on the generosity of volunteers to give their time. Nearly all of the 32 delivery routes throughout Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties are handled by volunteers. Delivery happens each day, Monday through Friday, and most route utilize two volunteers, so that ends up being a lot of volunteers. People volunteer on what ever schedule suites them – some are once or twice a month, some are on-call as needed, and a few are able to volunteer weekly as Gary does, which is such a big help!
Each route generally has two volunteers each day – a driver (who drives the route) and a hopper (who hops out of the car and delivers the meal to the customer’s door). One advantage to having a regular schedule is that you are likely to be assigned the same route – this is easier and faster for the driver because they get to know the route, and the hopper builds a bit of a relationship with the clients as they see the same faces and grateful smiles time after time.
Gary says he is continually reminded of how fortunate he is to be able to help – he does not take his health or ability to serve others for granted, and he’s so pleased he can do it. He feels deep gratitude from those he delivers to and realizes what he’s doing makes a difference to those he’s serving.
Gary expresses a genuine affection for the volunteers and staff he works alongside. Gary said, “The level of dedication is remarkable—not to mention the coordination and effort behind the scenes that make it all work, day after day, year after year.”
Gary is quick to point out that the rewards of being part of this kind of effort are far greater than most people expect. He’s simply grateful to play a role. Gary said that life has been a blessing for him, and he is intent on sharing those blessings with others for as long as he can.
Milestone Senior Services facilitates the RSVP Volunteer and Senior Companion programs through an AmeriCorps Seniors grant. While Milestone welcomes volunteers of any age, the AmeriCorps Seniors’ RSVP program specifically connects people age 55 and older with volunteer opportunities throughout the community. Senior Companion matches volunteers with older adults in need of social interaction. To learn more about volunteer opportunities in Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties, contact Milestone Senior Services at 269-382-0515 or our Volunteer Services webpage.
