Salem Lunch & Learning Program

This program was a lifesaver for me. The times and days were great and the programs were excellent!.....
My kids loved it. Great program! .....

These comments by parents of children who participated in the Salem Lunch & Learning Program, formerly known as Lunch ‘n’ Learn,* highlight some reasons why a record number of 107 children registered in the summer of 2009. For eight years it has combined free educational workshops and a nutritious free lunch for Salem youth. The number of sessions nearly doubled from 2008, thanks to generous donations from the Salem Rotary, The Shoppe Off Broadway, Stewart’s Holiday Match, and the National Peanut Board. In 2009 the Courthouse Community Center ran a five-day a week program for six weeks.
Salem youth were treated to a wide assortment of stimulating, fun workshops centered around art, history, science, and children’s literature. Guest speakers visited frequently, from a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation forest ranger to George Washington Carver portrayed by Marlon Galimore, president of the local Board of Education. The children also explored the village, including a walking tour led by Salem Historian Al Cormier and a visit to Salem Art Works. CCC partnered with the Bancroft Public Library and on Thursdays the children spent quality time at the library. The Courthouse Community Garden was right next door, where the children could witness firsthand the growth of peanut plants and tend, pick, and cook the wide variety of vegetables.

Rafaella Marie Fenn, president and managing director of the National Peanut Board, was a special guest on July 22nd. When Courthouse supporters contacted her to provide funding for the Courthouse, she responded enthusiastically. Fenn was so impressed by our mission and activities that the Peanut Board donated $8,000 for Salem Lunch & Learning and traveled from Atlanta, GA, to see the program firsthand. She shared the history of peanuts, how they are used, and brought aprons, hats, and Nutty Buddy Peanut Dolls for the children. After observing and interacting with the children, she generously pledged support in the future.
A healthful lunch was prepared each day under the direction of Dottie St. Onge and Seth Pitts. Many peanut products were included in the menus. The Battenkill Creamery, Sheldon Farms, Patrick Farms, and many others provided fresh food and drinks for the lunches.

Program Chair Herb Perkins attributed the enrollment rise to the expanded sessions as well as the number and type of programs offered. “The increased hours and days fit people’s schedules a bit better. Under the direction of teachers Stacy Parker and Kim Gariepy there were a tremendous variety of programs offered this summer and the kids really responded to them. We’re definitely going to increase the number of programs next year.” He also mentioned that the interns, Jen Clementi and Tomika Clary, and the many volunteers were of great assistance in carrying out the program. “Volunteers came in all ages, from Jr. High School students to senior citizens. It was great to see all the generations having such a good time together.”
Herb added, “A questionnaire was sent out to the parents of all participants. Reaction to the new format and schedule was very favorable. Suggestions on how to improve Salem Lunch & Learning will surely be part of our planning for next summer.”