Meals-on-Wheels Announces New Board of Trustees

Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson & Ellis Counties announced its new Board of Trustees and officers for the 2006 fiscal year on October 1. The Board of Trustees consists of 15 local persons representing the different communities throughout Johnson and Ellis Counties. The four new persons on the Board were nominated by current serving Trustees, and approved at the September Board meeting. Of the four chosen, three Trustees, Rusty Ballard, Jeff Lincks, and Charlie Morton are Ellis County residents, and one Johnson County resident, Ike Vera.

Ike Vera of Burleson serves as the manager of Parks & Recreation for the City of Burleson, is an active community member, Rotarian, and volunteered on this year’s Meals-on-Wheels Golf Committee. Rusty Ballard of Waxahachie owns a financial firm, Ballard Wealth Management, is an active Rotarian, and former Ellis County Justice of the Peace. Jeff Lincks of Ovilla is an account executive for Ellis County Insurance Agency, and is an active community member, including the Waxahachie Lions Club, Meals-on-Wheels volunteer, and Waxahachie Chamber Ambassadors Chair. Lastly, Charlie Morton of Ovilla is a retired business owner, and a 26-year native to Ovilla. Mr. Morton is a former Ovilla City Council member and served as Mayor from 1988 to 1995. Currently, he is an active member of the Ellis County Rail Transportation Board, serving as Secretary, and a long-time Meals-on-Wheels volunteer.

“This is the first year in the history of our organization that Ellis County will have Trustees serving on our Board,” Vinsen Faris, executive director said, “This addition is long overdue, and we are excited about the growth.”

The 2005-2006 officers are David Price of Alvarado, Chairperson; Mike Lehrmann of Cleburne, First Vice Chairperson; Paula Harmon of Burleson, Second Vice Chairperson; Joan Hinds of Cleburne, Third Vice Chairperson; Rusty Ballard, Treasurer; Charlie Morton, Secretary; and Ronny Korb of Rio Vista, Immediate Past Chairperson. Returning Trustees include: Gayle Luck of Joshua, Patti Burkhart and Mary Ann Mathews of Godley; Kay Kelm, Connie Strange, and Shirley Anderson, all of Cleburne.

Faris added, “With such an incredible group of people involved on the Board, they will no doubt bring additional credibility and much needed visibility to Meals-on-Wheels. We are excited of the expertise, potential new contacts, and networking possibilities for the coming year & years to come!”