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Free lunches draw crowds of children

Battle Ground Schools summer program runs five more weeks

By Paul Suarez
Published: July 19, 2010, 12:00am
3 Photos
Tammy Bredeson, left, helps her son J.T., 6, and daughter Kendall, 7, get their free hot lunches in the Maple Grove Primary cafeteria Thursday.
Tammy Bredeson, left, helps her son J.T., 6, and daughter Kendall, 7, get their free hot lunches in the Maple Grove Primary cafeteria Thursday. The federally funded program has been crowded this year. Photo Gallery

BATTLE GROUND — Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch obviously hasn’t heard about the summer program at Maple Grove Primary School.

o What: Free lunches for children ages 1 to 18

o When: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Thursday, until Aug. 19

o Where: Maple Grove Primary School, 12500 N.E. 199th St., Battle Ground.

o Cost: Free

o Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture

The program — now in its second year — offers free lunches to children ages 1 to 18, regardless of where they live. The only caveat is that the meal must be eaten in the school’s lunch area.

Far more hungry kids are showing up this year than last year, said Mark Jasper, manager of food services at Battle Ground Public Schools.

“Last year we didn’t know how many we’d have, so we worked in the 40 range,” he said. “This year, we planned for 90.” Jasper said he and his crew were caught off guard when 134 children showed up for lunch Wednesday, the third day lunches were offered this year.

o What: Free lunches for children ages 1 to 18

o When: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Thursday, until Aug. 19

o Where: Maple Grove Primary School, 12500 N.E. 199th St., Battle Ground.

o Cost: Free

o Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Battle Ground’s success contrasts with the national trend. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports only 16 percent of eligible youngsters participated in its Summer Food Service Program last year, down from 21 percent in 2001, despite record numbers of food stamp recipients. Federal red tape has discouraged some local sponsors, according to the Associated Press, and transportation to meal sites is a problem in rural areas.

Zeeann Ramberg, who works in the lunch line at Prairie High School during the school year, works summers at Maple Grove. She said she was surprised at the “abundance” of children that are showing up this year.

Battle Ground Public Schools spokesman Gregg Herrington said he expects the increase in participants is partially due to better publicity, more word-of-mouth “buzz” and the addition of a hot item two days a week. Herrington said he expects the economy played a role too.

Nearly 60 percent of Maple Grove students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, the highest in the district, Jasper said. The program was started to make sure those students and others like them don’t go hungry in the summer.

Robert Metcalf, 6, is one of those students. He just finished kindergarten and is taking summer classes to get a head start on the fall. His mom, Sara Metcalf, first heard about the program on Wednesday and is a fan after two visits.

“There are always friends to talk to and people he knows,” she said.

Robert particularly enjoys the “sharing table,” where kids can drop off lunch items they aren’t interested in and pick up ones that they are.

It’s usually full of fruit and vegetables.

Meals must include a food item from each of five food groups — milk, fruit, vegetables, grain and protein — to be paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture summer food program, Jasper said.

On Thursday, each child got a tray with pepperoni pizza, carrots, a cup of cinnamon applesauce, Goldfish crackers and a choice of 2 percent white milk or nonfat chocolate.

The Goldfish crackers were replaced by small bags of Lay’s potato chips around 12:20 p.m.

Jasper admits the chips don’t really fit into one of the food groups, but said that’s OK because, “we still have grain in the pizza.”

“The chips bring more kids (to eat),” he said, emphasizing the important thing is that kids aren’t turned away hungry.

The balanced plate appeals to parents.

“Who doesn’t love a free lunch that’s healthy?” said Tammy Bredeson of Yacolt. Bredeson brought her daughter, Kendall, 7, and a friend to the school for lunch after picking up her son J.T., 6, who attends summer school at Maple Grove.

The Bredesons took advantage of the program all last week and plan to continue throughout the summer.

Students don’t have to qualify for free or reduced-price lunches to get a free meal.

Amy Vance brought her three children — Lake, 2; Leaf, 5; and Taylor, 13 — to Maple Grove after hearing about the program from her sister.

“I was out running errands,” Vance said. “We came to grab lunch and play in the playground.”

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