WILTON — The sandwiches, fruit and milk were ready as staff and volunteers waited for the children to arrive Monday, the first day of free summer lunches at Kineowatha Park for all children.
The lunch program, hosted by the Wilton Recreation Department, runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday from July 1 to Aug. 8.
The lunches are available for any child age 18 and under but the meal has to be eaten at the park, Cheryl Ellis, RSU 9 food/nutrition coordinator, said. Ellis is managing the program and lunches are prepared by Nancy Pratt at Academy Hill School.
Adults can purchase a meal for $3.
Recreation Director Frank Donald was invited earlier this year to become involved in planning for a summer food service program through Feeding America.
The Wilton park posed a good location with the town’s swim program held there and many children spending time there in the summer, he previously said.
The program is at no cost to the town but townspeople wanted to be involved. Several have volunteered. Volunteers Nahid Dalpour and Kathy Leonards waited along with staff Monday to help feed the children.
Donald has a list of volunteers ready to help, he said.
The program will run three days this week due to the holiday, he said.
abryant@sunjournal.com
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- Summer lunch program staff member Nancy Pratt and volunteer Nahid Dalpour, left, watch Wyatt Watson carry his lunch with help from his grandmother Patty Donald of Jay on Monday at Kineowatha Park in Wilton.
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- Hunter Gleason, Lyn and Wyatt Watson line up with their grandmother, Patty Donald, on Monday for the first lunch in the summer program at Kineowatha Park in Wilton. Program staff member Nancy Pratt, left, prepares to serve Gleason.
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- Wilton summer lunch program coordinators Cheryl Ellis, center, and Frank Donald, right, prepare for the first free lunch for children served Monday at Kineowatha Park. At left, back to camera, is Nancy Pratt of the RSU 9 meals program.
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- Volunteer Nahid Dalpour, left, prepares to give Wyatt Watson a bag of crackers Monday during the first summer lunch provided for all children at Kineowatha Park in Wilton. Grandmother Patty Donald of Jay helps Watson pick up his lunch.
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