First kids to try free lunches give program a thumbs-up

By Venice Buhain | The Olympian • Published June 23, 2008

Daily campers and drop-ins gave the "Italian dunkers" and green beans a thumbs-up at Tumwater Parks and Recreation's first free lunch for the summer.

"I really like the breadsticks," said camper Kati Armstrong, 11, of Tenino, eating the lunch provided as part of the Tumwater Parks and Recreation Day Camp at Peter G. Schmidt Elementary.

Free lunches are available for all children at locations in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Rochester.

Tumwater's program is one of about a dozen in South Sound participating in the annual U.S. Department of Agriculture summer food service program, which is administered in this state by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Olympia's and Lacey's free summer food programs run in the same locations as free afternoon playing programs, with supervised and structured play periods.

Tumwater was not able to incorporate the free play program this year because of construction at the school, said Kathryn Baria, Tumwater recreation coordinator.

The program feeds children 18 and younger in areas where 50 percent of children qualify for free and reduced lunches.

The lunches include two or more servings of vegetables and fruits, one serving of grain or bread, one serving of meat or a meat alternative, and milk.

The programs will feed all children age 18 and younger who show up at feeding time, including teenagers.

No one has to show proof of income level.

Baria said she hasn't seen too many teenagers come for meals, though they are welcome.

"I guess it's not 'cool.' I wish I could make it cool," Baria said, pointing out that her teenage day camp counselors meet the age requirement for the program and get to eat lunch.

Parent Shirley Olohan of Tumwater brought her three children and two others that she was baby-sitting to Peter G. Schmidt for lunch to try out the program.

"Just the thought that it was free and I have a lot of kids this summer," she said. "I wasn't sure that they would let us. I thought you needed a certain income level."

Parent Deanna Cortez brought her seven children to the program, saying the meals help her and her husband stretch out their food budget for their children, ages 3 months through 14 years.

"We both work very hard, but with seven children, everything is so expensive now," said Cortez, who works two jobs and whose husband works full-time.

"It's a nice little break to make sure they can get enough to eat."

Venice Buhain covers education for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5445 or vbuhain@theolympian.com.