Cool Cafe volunteers keep kids well-fed

Volunteering has never been more rewarding.

At least not for those who volunteer at the Cool Cafe.

Located at the United Methodist Church on Second Street, the Monday through Thursday lunches are provided to diners 18 years and younger — and it’s all free. The largest age group is the 5- to 10-year-olds.

The lunches are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Federal School Lunches program.

Volunteer organizer Suzanne Moses said the lunch program was started to ensure kids have a healthy and involved summer lunch schedule.

“We want there to be a caring adult during the middle of the day,” she said.

The Cool Cafe has 48 volunteers, with eight usually participating each day.

Judy Lutz is a member of the Methodist Church. She helps out by checking the kids in and keeps count of how many lunches are given out each day.

She is a retired teacher who has lived in Baker City all her life. She said she volunteered because it gave her a chance to be around the kids again.

“A lot of us (church members) volunteered to help and support it,” she said.

Lutz, in addition to checking the kids in, also has done what she called the “grandmother thing.” She has talked to the kids and done activities with them. All of which she said was very rewarding.

“I just want to be with the kids again,” she said.

Laura Ledesky lives in Whidbey Island, Wash., and is visiting Baker City this summer while helping her brother-in-law build a house. She heard about the summer lunches and decided to volunteer.

“My brother (in-law) goes to church here, he told me about it because he thought I might be interested,” she said.

And she was.

When she started volunteering she would sit with kids and talk to them, sometimes she would read with them or play games or do activities.

“It’s so great talking with the kids and visiting with them,” she said.

Now she is a team leader for the kitchen.

The volunteers are separated into two teams. One team serves the lunches to the children and the other talks with them and, if time allows, reads with them.

Jackie Dougan said she enjoyed reading with the kids and learning about their day.

“I love reading and playing with the kids. I would like to see more activities,” she said. “But I enjoy interacting with kids.”

Brianna Clark is 17. Every day she comes in, helps set up and volunteers with the children.

“My dad works for (Moses’) husband doing drywall, he told me about it and it sounded good,” she said.

As of Tuesday, the Cool Cafe had served 1,116 lunches.

The food is delivered by Jean Dean, the Baker School District cook/manager. It is prepared by district employees in the central kitchen at Baker High School, then loaded into brown lunch bags and brought to the church.

“Oh I just love being around these little guys,” Dean said.