Anne Rea is a firm believer that children need food before going to school.
She learned this as a daycare operator in Vancouver for 25 years before moving to Vernon. And she害羞草研究所檚 continued to reinforce the belief as founder and coordinator of the Breakfast Program at Harwood Elementary and W.L. Seaton Secondary schools.
害羞草研究所淜ids are not going to learn if they害羞草研究所檙e hungry,害羞草研究所� said Rea in her office at Faith Baptist Church, where she coordinates the two programs with help from a small army of church volunteers.
The need continues, 20 years after Rea began the program at Harwood in January 2004, then expanded it when the Harwood students left for the hallowed halls of Seaton, in 2009.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e doing more food now than when we started,害羞草研究所� said Rea, whose crews make nearly 180 sandwiches per day for Harwood, and prepare for a minimum of 100 students every morning at Seaton. 害羞草研究所淭he numbers have increased significantly.害羞草研究所�
Rea will be on hand this Saturday, Jan. 20, and hopes to see many former students, parents, and staff as the Breakfast Program celebrates 20 years with a special event from 1 to 4 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church, 3908-27th St.
If you remember having toast off the snack cart at Harwood, or a bagel at the Seaton breakfast counter, or a hot dog at the church on Tuesdays, you害羞草研究所檙e welcome to attend. So, too, is the public.
COVID changed the way the breakfast program is conducted at Harwood. The volunteers used to operate at the school. Now, things are done in the church basement.
害羞草研究所淣ow, we have to bag things,害羞草研究所� said volunteer Sheila Robinson, joined at the bag numbering table last Friday by volunteer Lynn Greenaway. 害羞草研究所淲e come in and set up. The kids have three choices of sandwiches: cheese, jam, or just plain butter. The staff gives us a list of what the students prefer. We put out the stuff that needs to be done in the kitchen, and we put out the bags.害羞草研究所�
Greenaway got involved with the program, seeing it as a chance to work in a ministry.
害羞草研究所淚 still love doing this,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淕oing to the school initially was so much with all the kids there.害羞草研究所�
At Seaton, students can enjoy four kinds of bagels, toast, English muffins, along with cream cheese, jam, peanut butter and butter. There are also hard-boiled eggs, granola bars, yogurt, juice, or, on days when a cold snap hits, like Friday, Jan. 12 with the mercury reading -23C, hot chocolate.
At both schools, fruit is always available.
Seaton kids also get a chance to enjoy Hot Dog Lunch Wednesdays. Students only get 40 minutes for lunch but because the school is just a few blocks away from the church, they can wander down and pick up hot dogs with all the trimmings (including sauerkraut and onions), or macaroni and cheese, vegetarian chili, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, egg mcmuffins, and/or sausage rolls.
The church and the school district provide funds for the program, and local businesses such as Cobs Bread, Save-On-Foods, Safeway, Real Canadian Wholesale Club and Bulk Barn donate items for the program.
The program, said Rea, wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be possible without community support and financial help from Faith Baptist Church. It害羞草研究所檚 taken her 20 years to get the community involved with donations and discounts.
害羞草研究所淲e are so blessed and privileged to be able to provide this for our students,害羞草研究所� said Reay, who also believes if every church in the North Okanagan adopted a school, the church could fill a need.
害羞草研究所淪chools have to take their fences down and ask the churches in the area for help,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭he barriers have been up long enough. Let害羞草研究所檚 work together in our communities.害羞草研究所�
(Faith Baptist Church celebrates 20 years of the Breakfast Program Saturday, Jan. 20, from 1-4 p.m. at the church, 3908-27th Street, Vernon. Drop in for refreshments and reminiscing.)
