By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald
The Bonney Lake Food Bank started its Simplified Summer Food Program for youths 19 years old and under last week around the region.
Director Melvain Donyes said the program will serve children breakfast, lunch and dinner, depending on the location, and the meals are available at no charge.
Donyes said volunteers are needed between 9 and 11:30 a.m. at Allan Yorke Park to assemble meals. Those volunteers need to have food worker cards.
The director is using a 42-passenger bus to deliver and serve the meals at area parks.
“Aaron at Carrol's Garage in Sumner did a tuneup and oil change,” Donyes said. “He really helped us out (with the bus).”
Donyes said the bus is being used each day, but he is still looking for someone to work on the vehicle's refrigeration and electrical system.
The meals are served at six locations around the area - Allan Yorke Park, Emerald Hills Elementary, Cedarview Park, Rhododendron Park, Prairie Ridge Community Center and Ponderosa Park.
All of the locations will be in service today, Wednesday, except Emerald Hills Elementary.
Donyes said the first week “went great. It was a very stretching and learning experience and it gave us an opportunity to see how well everything works.”
Hazel Stewart, who works for the food bank, contacted the Kiwanis Club hoping to get a picnic table where the children could eat their meals at the park.
Jim Bouchard, secretary of the club, contacted Evergreen Precast and the company donated a table. Rhett Daniels, an employee of the company, delivered the table June 21 and Kiwanis members, along with residents from the Ponderosa Homeowners' Association, installed it.
Meals are served Monday through Friday. Locations and the times the meals are served are listed below.
€ Allan Yorke Park, 7203 W. Tapps Hwy. Serving times are 10 to 11 a.m. for breakfast and 6 to 7 p.m. for dinner.
€ Emerald Hills Elementary, 19515 South Tapps Dr. E. Lunch serving time is 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
€ Cedarview Park, 208th Avenue East and 93rd Street East. Lunch serving time is 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
€ Rhododendron Park, 117th Street East and 201st Avenue East. Lunch serving time is 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
€ Prairie Ridge Community Center, 14104 Prairie Ridge Dr. Lunch serving time is noon to 1 p.m.
€ Ponderosa Park, 20309 108th St. E. Lunch serving time is 12:45 to 1:15 p.m.
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.
