Las Vegas mayor launches local March for Meals campaign

Carolyn Goodman exercised her mayoral charm for a good cause Monday.

"Are you the wonderful Woody?" she asked Ellwood "Woody" Maxwell while delivering a week's worth of prepared meals to his home in a development for senior citizens. "You are such a handsome man."

Maxwell appeared to blush but took it in stride. "You're doing a good job," he told the Las Vegas mayor.

The visit -- dubbed Mayors for Meals Day -- was part of the local kickoff of the national March for Meals campaign, which aims to raise awareness of senior hunger and encourage people to act.

It's "a chance across the country for the community to reflect ...on the needs of seniors," said Monsignor Patrick Leary, Catholic Charities' chief executive officer.

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada has been providing free Meals On Wheels to older adults in the valley since 1975. Demand for the service is at an all-time high. The charity has a waiting list of about 900 people.

"Our challenge is how do we meet that need?" Leary said.

The event began with a tour of the charity's senior nutrition building, on 30th Street near Bonanza Road, across the street from Maxwell's home. Catholic Charities prepares 400,000 meals from scratch each year for delivery to 1,100 clients.

"Food is a basic necessity," Leary said. But "the food that comes out of this kitchen is far from basic."

Maxwell, a retired civil servant from San Diego who is disabled, agreed the food is tasty: "I like the chili."

Leary also recognized the Caesars Foundation, a national sponsor for Meals On Wheels, and thanked the local Paradise Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for raising funds to have the 12,000-square-foot nutrition building painted.

Goodman called Meals on Wheels "a wonderful way to care" about local seniors. "Whether you're a senior as I am, or whether you're looking forward to those years, they will come," she said.

Maxwell was just happy to have his food personally delivered by the mayor.

"I get lucky once in a while," he said.

He told the mayor he is 67 years old.

"You're a baby," she said. Then she reminded him to take his vitamins.

Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com.