Volunteer Resources
Volunteer Spotlight
Dean Balog
Meal Delivery Driver
Dean began volunteering as a Meal Delivery Driver in February of this year and has been a tremendous help by regularly covering open delivery routes. He was inspired to join Calgary Meals on Wheels after seeing how his own parents struggled to maintain their independence as meal preparation became more challenging, wishing he’d known about supports that could have helped them stay at home longer—and now wanting to offer that support to others. Dean worked as an IT “data guy” for 35+ years in a variety of roles before retiring this past spring. He’s happily married to his wife Brenda and has two university-aged kids. Dean enjoys golfing (he admits it’s more of an obsession than a hobby), skiing, looking after the yard – “also known as trying to keep the skunks out”, he jokes – and trying to be a more adventurous cook.
Seeing the clients’ appreciation of their home deliveries keeps Dean coming back to volunteer. His favourite moment was delivering a birthday package to a client who, beaming, told him, “Meals on Wheels is just the best. Do you know they delivered a Christmas package last year and the clothes fit me better than my own family’s gifts?” Dean says that his time volunteering with us has opened his eyes to the incredible need that exists across Calgary’s communities for support services like Calgary Meals on Wheels. Thank you, Dean, for your continued dedication to feeding our city and strengthening our community.