Summer Lunch and Learn set June 13-July 29

by Cori Hilsgen

news@thenewsleaders.com

Area youth 18 and younger are invited to participate in the third summer of free lunch and enrichment activities in two St. Joseph parks from June 13-July 29.

Lunch will be served and organized activities will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays at Centennial Park and from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays at Klinefelter Park. Parents or an adult must be present with the child for the event.

There will not be any meals served from July 4-7.

Enrichment activities include a variety of games, stories, crafts and more. Participants can register during the first week at each of the two parks.

The purpose of the program is to ensure everyone has access to good food during the summer months, to take part in meaningful activities and to get to know others in the St. Joseph area.

This year’s coordinators include St. Joseph residents Jaida Romsdahl, Mercedes Romsdahl and Abby Lyon.

“In order for Summer Lunch and Learn to continue, we were needing someone from the community to step up to help organize,” Central Minnesota Catholic Worker member Molly Weyrens said. “We were grateful when Jaida and her mother, as well as Abby, said they were willing to take it on. This will ensure some of the families we serve can count on a meal and some connection to community during the summer.”

Jaida and her family became involved with the program last year when Jaida was looking for volunteer hours for her school club WE Act, which she is a member of and joined when she was in seventh grade at Kennedy Community School.

The summer lunch program was close to home and she said she thought it would be a learning experience to see how much people in her area need help, not just families and children in other countries we hear so much about.

Jaida is a 15-year-old student at Apollo High School, who will be a junior next fall. Her volunteer hours will help her earn attendance at WE Day, an event encouraged by an educational initiative, WE Schools.

Together, the schools help connect and empower youth to focus on we instead of me, focusing on the power of local areas instead of individuals.

WE Schools combine curriculum, educational resources and action campaigns to encourage and motivate students.

Youth cannot buy tickets to WE Day, but instead earn their way by participating in WE Schools and taking action on issues that matter most to them.

This year’s WE Day will be held Sept. 20 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The event brings together world-renowned speakers, performers and tens of thousands of youth to celebrate a year of action that has changed lives.

WE Day organizers say the day is a way for youth to gather and celebrate their power to change the world, learn about new and important issues, and gain inspiration to take their actions to the next level.

Jaida said by attending last year’s summer lunch program, her mother dropped her off and enjoyed a meal with her sisters.

“It was a great way to get my sisters out in the fresh air, play with other kids and enjoy some activities,” she said.

When Jaida learned one of the organizers would be graduating and leaving the program, she discussed it with her mother, Mercedes, and decided it was meant for her to help organize the program.

“My mother said she was on board because not only does our family need a little help now and then, (but) we (saw) together how much of a need this program is and how many families we are able to reach out and help,” Jaida said.

Her responsibilities will include setting things up at the parks and having them ready to go. Once the meals arrive, she will help set those up and distribute them to families who are attending.

Mercedes will help check people in, count those in attendance and more. They will also provide activities to children one or two days each week.

“I hope to gain knowledge of how organizations such as this operate and what it all takes to run such a program,” Jaida said.

She also hopes to further her social skills, make a difference, make friends, continue her journey of helping others and maybe learn to expand it into other areas, as well.

Jaida and Mercedes live in St. Joseph along with her Grammy and Jaida’s two younger sisters, Janessa and Jailynn.

Her interests include hanging out with friends, coloring – which she considers a huge stress reliever – and various other crafts. She also enjoys babysitting and baking – especially cupcakes.

This summer, she hopes to also volunteer at the Veterans Administration Hospital.

Her future plans include graduating, opening her own cupcake business and attending college to study American Sign Language and/or nursing.

“I’ve got a little time on that yet,” she said. “I have a big heart and what I love most is being able to share it with others.”

Abby Lyon is a behavioral interventionist at Pleasantview Elementary in Sauk Rapids. She and her husband, Rob, live in St. Joseph. He is a police officer for the city of Sartell. They have two children, Nate and Nora.

“I became involved in the program when I first started attending with my children as a summer activity,” Lyon said. “The more I learned about the program the more I wanted to be involved. I think it’s a great program to provide not only a meal for kids in the community during the summer, but include structured activities that kids enjoy doing. Last year, some of the activities were very unique and great skills for kids to learn, like yoga. I love how kids find enjoyment in activities that include reading, math, social skills and creativity.”

Lyon will be coordinating pick-up of lunches to the parks. She is seeking volunteers who are interested in helping. They are also looking for volunteers to serve food and do activities with the children. Anyone interested in helping can call her at 320-492-4921 or sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a4baaa729a6f94-summer.

Lyon has also been active in establishing five Free Little Libraries in the area during the two years she has lived in St. Joseph.

“Growing up in a small town, I just love the feel of St. (Joseph) and all it has to offer,” she said.

Weyrens said the summer lunch program has been a bright spot for many families, when the long days of summer and less resources for food present themselves.

“It has been a way for adults to connect with other adults, provide a safe space for an activity for the kids along with enjoying a good meal,” she said. “Since there are now more immigrants and refugees coming into St. (Joseph), we are also hoping to reach out and make connections with them as well. The College of St. Benedict has been a huge player, but that will be suspended during (this) summer due to program changes happening. Therefore, we hope people in the community will feel called to step up to volunteer. Kids, food and fun make a great combination.”

She said most sites only serve meals to youth because that’s the way the funding is set up. However, St. Joseph is fortunate because several restaurants and organizations have stepped up last summer and this summer so meals can also be provided for the adults who accompany their children to the program.

Weyrens said last year the program served 371 meals for youth and 179 meals for adults, and reached 80 children from 30 different families.

About 15 volunteers were involved with some part of last year’s summer lunch program.

Weyrens said the program is sponsored by the Catholic Church of St. Joseph; Central Minnesota Catholic Worker; City of St. Joseph with donations from American Legion, American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Bello Cucina, BoDiddley’s, Kay’s Kitchen and the Knights of Columbus and; Gateway Church; Resurrection Lutheran Church and St. Benedict’s Monastery.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering or learning more about the summer lunch program can also email centralmncw@gmail.com.