By Dewey Terrill

JC Post

The total number of meals served to children in the community through the Summer Picnic Parties in Geary County has been calculated at 8,584. The numbers were released at the monthly Live Well Coalition meeting on Wednesday.

Coordinator Shannon Rosauer said Live Well served freshly made lunches all summer at Grandview Community Center and at the 5th Street Playground Park. They also served lunches for a week-long Junction City High School marching band camp. “We started off the summer serving lunches at the library but then the school district took over and provided the food for the rest of the summer at the library, and we provided the volunteer labor. ” That occurred at the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library, the 12th Street Community Center and Franklin Elementary School.

For the summer more than 70 people combined efforts and gave at least 1,332 hours. Donors provided everything from gift cards totaling $1,000 to bread from Jason Budinas and 177 half-gallon bottles of milk. Numerous churches provided volunteers including the First Presbyterian, First United Methodist, St. Francis Xavier, Episcopal Church of the Covenant, Zion UCC, Second Missionary Baptist and First Baptist Church.

Additional community support was provided by FroYo Junction, Dorothy Bramlage Public Library, the City of Junction City, City of Grandview Plaza, USD 475, Cloud County Community College, JC CrossFit, Junction City High School, I.C.A.R.E., Food Pantry of Geary County and Breaking Bread of JC.