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Let no child go hungry...
Kiki Weyandt nibbled on a sliced apple as her family sat beneath a tree in Carl Miller Park. The picnic lunch had become part of the family's daily routine before they set out to enjoy the rest of the day.
It was a similar routine for the nearly 200 individuals, mainly children, that either sat at picnic tables or found a shady spot beneath the trees.
For eight weeks each summer, free meals to local area children are provided as part of a program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For the second consecutive year, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is hosting this "Picnic in the Park" effort.
"During the school year, many students eat breakfast and lunch at school," said Lisa Stover-Russell, a spokesperson with the local Catholic charity. "When summertime rolls around, some families have a difficult time providing the additional meals at home. Our goal is to try to fill part of that gap."
This year, organizers chose to serve meals at two locations. Most come to Carl Miller Park with others gathering at Skyview Terrace Apartments.
Both sites were selected based on census information and the location of children that qualified for free and reduced lunches at local area schools.
"The second site at Skyview Apartments was added this year because... we realized that it was unsafe for students living in the West Elementary School area to walk to Carl Miller Park," Stover-Russell said.
"This is the perfect site based on the number of children that live within just a few blocks of the area."
The Catholic charity took charge of the program in 2013 after the Mountain Home School District halted its participation, citing new restrictions and requirements mandated by state officials. According to district officials, those changes made it increasingly harder for it to keep the food program running.
The meals are open to all children with no distinction made based on their family's background or financial status, said Teri Lasuen as she and other volunteers handed out lunches on Friday.
"They are all welcome," she said.
The only requirement for a free meal is a person's age. It's limited to those up to age 18, although older individuals can order a lunch for $2.
For the most part, people are pretty honest when it comes to admitting their age, Lasuen said.
The menu that afternoon featured a jamwich -- a standard peanut butter and jelly dish in which the bread is sealed to keep the contents from seeping out. In addition, children received sliced apples, applesauce yogurt and milk.
Rules set by the USDA require participants to remain in the park until they finish their lunch. It ensures the meals are going specifically to feeding those children, she said.
Organizers make it a point to let nothing go to waste. A share box set up on a picnic table is available for those who don't want a particular meal item. Those still hankering for something else to eat can then take food out of the share box, but within reason, Lasuen said.
While children have their own personal favorites, they tend to avoid being picky, she added. Even the hardboiled egg lunches are popular, with kids reaching for them as readily as other meals.
But the youngsters still have their favorites. Weyandt admitted she really enjoyed the apples while the chocolate milk earned a hearty thumbs up from other children.
"I don't like the peanut butter, but the jelly is fine," said Lauren Wilson, who came to the park with her younger sister.
Beth Dickinson brings her children, Olivia and James, to the park each afternoon. For both youngsters, it's an opportunity to socialize with their friends and others similar in age throughout the summer.
At a nearby table, 14 youngsters from the Family Treasures daycare center were seated side by side.
"They look forward to doing this every day," said Sharon Kukitz, who works at the local daycare.
In addition to enjoying a picnic lunch, it teaches them how to act in a group setting with people of different ages, she said. It's also a chance for them to play in the park.
Jennifer Weyandt and her four children sat on a blanket beneath one of the trees in the community park. The family makes it a point to have a picnic at the park at least twice a week, and it's become part of their weekly routine.
"It's nice to come do lunch first before going to the library," she said.
The crowds are fairly predictable with people already lining up before the meal line opens. It takes just a few minutes to deal with this initial crush of people before things settle down.
Within 30 minutes, the demand tapers off with families and individuals stopping by in significantly smaller numbers. The rush picks up again just before the meal lines close at 1 p.m. as children stop through the park after swimming lessons, Lasuen said.
On an average day, volunteers will serve nearly 190 lunches. Some afternoons, they'll have more than 200 children go through their line.
"We see a lot of the same faces every day," she added.