MOUNT GILEAD — The Cardington/Mount Gilead Kids Summer Lunch program got off to a good start last Tuesday. Both programs are held by the swimming pool in the villages and each program had 40 to 50 receive a lunch the first day.
Lunch is served between 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Monday-Friday except for July 4. The program will continue from June 4 through Aug. 17.
Cardington-Lincoln Schools Food Service is the sponsor this summer, with Debbie Hart the head of the program and Cindy Jordan the Mount Gilead site supervisor.
Hart said she was very happy with the turnout the first day and hopes it will continue throughout the summer.
The program is inspected and licensed by the state. Hart added that all the food workers are trained in the Serve Safe program. All children from ages 1-18 and anyone with disabilities to age 21 are welcome to get a lunch.
Hart said the only thing they ask is that the children stay by the tables to eat their lunch. Parents and adults can also have lunch, but only after the children have received their lunch.
Cardington-Lincoln Schools Superintendent, Brian Petrie stopped by the Mount Gilead site the first day to see how things were going. Petrie said they need to have 50 participants every day for the program to be cost effective.
The school district purchases the food and they are reimbursed by state and federal funds. They plan for 60 meals per day.
For the past few years, Petrie said that Marion has been sponsoring the program, but they discontinued this year. Both Mount Gilead and Cardington are considered “open sites” where all can come for lunch. He said this is due to census income statistics for both villages.
Petrie said the OSU Extension office will have a nutrition program and Syntero school counseling agency will also have a program. He thanked the agriculture department at Cardington-Lincoln High School for making the picnic tables for both sites.
Hart and Jordan thanked MCTC for transporting the food to both locations from the Cardington High School kitchen.
Summer Lunch Program
Mount Gilead site at the Village Swimming Pool, Corner of Cherry Street and Park Avenue.
Cardington site at the Village Swimming Pool beside the High School.
Rain locations are inside the school building next to the sites.
