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Plainly there is no generation gap today at the Free Summer Lunch program at La Ballona Elementary. Photo, Audrey Stephens.
Just in time for the nagging early morning, early summer marine layer over Culver City to go to its grave, the School District’s debuting Free Summer Lunch program is up in the stratosphere as the second week gets under way.
Supt. Dave LaRose, who introduced the concept, has a shining future as an entrepreneur, which colleagues already knew as he spends his first summer in the community.
Free lunches five days a week, 11:30 to 12:30 for students 18 and under, during the off-season for schools at La Ballona Elementary, is jetting toward the heavens.
Mark Reyes, the District’s Supervisor of Food Services, reported at the noon hour today – just 30 minutes after opening – that 107 student visitors already had been recorded.
They were going to serve for another half-hour, until 12:30, and then there is an additional 30 minutes of varied cerebral and physical activities offered.
Would they break the Most Lunches record?
“Our biggest day last week was 160,” Mr. Reyes said.
The more time that passes, the more people hear about it, the faster the La Ballona lunch room tables fill up.
“The turnout varies,” Mr. Reyes said. “I am not sure why. It may be because of the day and the menu. But we really do not know why.”
The whopping average has been 70 a day.
Glancing around the room, the dominant age on this day skewed young – but likely there will be new faces tomorrow. And the day after.
Inquiring reporters from newspapers not named Enquirer want to know where the students are from. But one critical condition of the program is mumness. No questions, please.
“We are not allowed to ask,” Mr. Reyes said. “The idea is to get the kids fed. Whomever wants to come in.”
Summer Lunch Coordinator LaShon Conroy was beaming in mid-meal as happily chattering children provided melodic background music.
“We have had a very successful program,” she said on Day 6. “We are depending on word of mouth, and that is what we think is happening.
“When a family comes here, they tell their neighbors, and they show up the next day. They tell someone else, and that brings in new people.”
For Culver City’s semi-adults, this is their answer to the Happiest Place on Earth.
