INETEEN-eighty-eight wasn't the happiest period in Gladys Madeiros' life. She'd recently lost her mother and her sister and, as one might expect, was feeling "a little bit down".

A close friend introduced her to Meals on Wheels. It was his idea that work with the charity might help take her mind off her troubles.

The match was a success. Mrs. Madeiros has stayed with the organisation for close to 18 years. Yesterday, she was honoured for her dedication with a Community Service Award from Bermuda CableVision, presented by Minister of Community Affairs and Sport Dale Butler.

"I am so honoured to be recognised by Bermuda CableVision today with a Community Service Award," she said. "Meals on Wheels is close to my heart.

"The work that our volunteers do has a direct benefit on the people whom we help. A comforting meal, a friendly chat, a warm smile ? these are the things that really matter to the elderly and to people with limited mobility.

"I would like to thank God for His guiding influence in my life. I would also like to thank Bermuda CableVision for presenting me with this award today."

Mrs. Madeiros was welcomed to the charity in 1988 by its former administrator Barbara Frith. At the time the charity was run out of the St. Paul's Christian Education Centre.

"She immediately put me in the kitchen cooking," she explained, insisting her culinary skills were not what paired her to the position.

"I'd just basically cooked at home for my family. I wouldn't say I'm a good cook. The menu was made up and we just followed the menu."

Her assistance was appreciated from the start, called on for the three days the service was provided ? Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She was also asked to help with the Lunching Club, a monthly event also run by Meals on Wheels.

"I'd taken a leave of absence," Mrs. Madeiros explained, "and when I went back to work I said how much I'd enjoyed helping at Meals on Wheels and that I wanted to continue, that I needed those times off."

she was involved in community programmes within her church, Meals on Wheels was Mrs. Madeiros' first involvement with a dedicated charity.

"It was such a wonderful atmosphere and I think what really impressed me the most was how everything was so organised. Everything just fell into place because the organisation of it all was just fantastic.

"I really enjoyed it and so I just continued. When I went back to work, I made sure I would have the time off. I would actually come into Meals on Wheels and then, from there, leave, clean up and go back to work."

It was that dedication which led CableVision to recognise Mrs. Madeiros' efforts.

"We are proud to honour Mrs. Madeiros and are pleased to present her with a Community Service Award," said the company's assistant manager, Alan Smith.

"She goes beyond the call of duty, tirelessly giving her time and energy to those around her to ensure that the important work of Meals on Wheels gets done.

"Her sunny, bright personality never fails to motivate other volunteers and we commend her commitment to the community and to this valuable organisation."

Added Mr. Butler: "Every once in a while you meet someone whose infectious zest for life impacts everyone else around them. Gladys is such a person. She has spent the past 18 years volunteering with Meals on Wheels to make sure that food is prepared and meals are sent out to those most in need in our community."

Ask Mrs. Madeiros, however, and she will insist that the accolades are unnecessary.

"I admit I was a bit embarrassed when I found out about the award," she said. "Whatever I've done, whatever has happened, I do it to God's name, honour and glory ? it's like all of us. To me I don't feel any different than any other volunteer that comes here.

"It is a really wonderful team ? past and present. This organisation has gone on as long as it has because of the wonderful dedication of the volunteers. We have all walks of life. It's just so great. We just have a really nice atmosphere here."

Although the organisation was initially run solely by volunteers, it today boasts a paid staff of four including Mrs. Madeiros, administrator Tannika Rodrigues and her assistant, and a kitchen co-ordinator.

"The organisation has expanded. We need roughly about 40 to 42 people a day for it to run and that's not counting the four of us. Basically, I am supposed to do three hours a day, four days a week ? Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

"I end up devoting more time, simply because people call me at home. I'm basically on call, 24-7."

In her role as volunteer co-ordinator, Mrs. Madeiros keeps an up-to-date roster of all volunteers and is responsible for assigning them to specific jobs. She said she knows them all, that many have volunteered for the charity for several years.

"I like to think of it as musical people," she said in a reference to the children's game of musical chairs. "We always have two people operate a route ? a driver and an assistant.

"It sometimes happens where both the driver and the assistant are off at the same time and I have to work out who I can put on a particular route. Who would know it? So that's where I do a lot of juggling around with people.

"I butter them up," she laughed. "I give them little back massages to make sure they come in the next day for me. We honestly have such a wonderful, wonderful group of people who have given up their time, who want to come out and help.

"And so we make it a lot of fun. We just keep them laughing. It really is a wonderful organisation."

The group moved to its present location, on South Shore Road in Paget, in October of 1996. Its greatest challenge, as with many charities, is to maintain the level of volunteers needed to deliver food to approximately 200 people across the island every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Thirty-two volunteers are paired to cover the 16 routes, each responsible for delivering a three-course meal to between 12 and 18 houses.

"I confer a lot with Tannika. We've had people come in off the street and offer to volunteer. For so many of our clients it's so personal. Some don't want people to know about the situation they're in.

"There's a lot we have to consider and we really work around that although we never really want to turn away anybody.

"We give them directions as well as any necessary information on people's diets. They're usually very good. If they run into any problems they get on their cell phones and call here. We always have a dispatcher on duty. If there's a problem, they call in."

are also handed lists with clients' next of kin, with calls placed whenever there is concern. "We ask them to put a cooler out if they're not going to be at home. As soon as we see a cooler we figure that it's there because they've got an appointment and so we put the meal in the cooler.

"But if there's no cooler we get a bit concerned. If (our volunteers) come back and tell the dispatcher that's what's happened, we will call the next of kin.

"It works like clockwork. People are colour-coded based on their diet, we have maps showing where everyone lives, we have lists of next of kin to contact ? it's remarkable."

Some seven cooks usually arrive at the Meals on Wheels headquarters between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. At 10 a.m., three pot washers head to their stations and, approximately half an hour later, the dispatcher arrives.

Early deliveries, those headed to the farthest ends of the island, are packaged to leave the South Shore premises at 11.15 a.m. Deliveries to central parishes depart 15 minutes later.

"Most people are back by 1 o'clock," Mrs. Madeiros said. "Two of the pot washers usually stay back to sanitise the containers and pack them back into order, and that's it.

"We're finished for the day and ready to start again the next day."