Burnet elderly and disabled to receive meals fit for Christmas

BURNET — Texas Smith knows what it’s like to do without.

“There was a time I’d pray to God to take the hunger away from me,” said Smith, who is on a fixed income. “You can barely pay for your medicine. Sometimes you have to make a choice between eating and pills.”

PHOTO 1: Texas Smith (foreground) sorts through bread items for Flowing Waters Ministries in Burnet with the help of Ronda Heffington. Smith launched the food delivery program for the elderly and disabled in October. Staff photos by Connie Swinney

Despite her own health issues and budget limitations, the Burnet resident launched Flowing Waters Ministries in October to help her elderly and disabled neighbors by delivering donated food to them.

Smith carts 128 grocery bag deliveries every Friday to Hamilton Creek Manor and League Street Manor, income-based apartment complexes in Burnet.

She also offers pickup of non-perishable food items 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the League Street Manor Community Center, 1008 E. League St., on the first and third Friday of each month.

Smith buys and collects food items with donations from individuals and one local business.

“Some people aren’t physically able to get out and work,” said Ronda Heffington of Ronda’s EZ Bail Bonds, who recently donated funds for Christmas meals. “They don’t get to do all the things we get to do like have Christmas presents and Christmas dinner. … They just survive.”

Heffington believes the deliveries to homebound residents supplements other local programs.

“Burnet County has always been a giving community,” Heffington said. “I’m hoping this will inspire some businesses to see that the need is real.”

Smith’s holiday goal involves buying and cooking Cornish game hens for clients and delivering them Dec. 21 with their usual bags of food.

Smith said she wants to prepare as many as she can for pre-Christmas delivery.

“I have this heart for the elderly people,” she said. “I just want to make sure they don’t go without if they don’t have to.”

For more, call (307) 250-4326.