First LaCrosse senior meal a success

The first senior meal at the LaCrosse Café had 26 diners, with the LHS freshmen taking orders and serving. FFA creed team members Lauren Stubbs, T.J. Harder and Trey Fleming recited the FFA creed for the lunch crowd. Metea Enzweiler and Jasmine Watson, the other two members of the freshmen class, also assisted. The next senior meal at LaCrosse will be April 4.

The Council on Aging (COA) and LaCrosse Café have partnered to bring a senior community meal to LaCrosse, the first ever COA senior meal site at a restaurant. The inaugural senior meal was Tuesday, March 21, and was reported to be a success.

“It was fantastic,” said Paige Collins, Council on Aging executive director. “We ended up with an official count of 26 participants, which exceeded all of our expectations.”

Bringing a senior meal program to LaCrosse started when LaCrosse Café proprietor Julie Roberts approached Collins about an idea to expand opportunities for seniors in the community. They collaborated to come up with the senior meal site.

“It just makes my heart so happy because LaCrosse is so underserved,” said Collins. “With something like this, they can see what we do and how we're here to help them.”

The March 21 senior meal was a pilot run, and two more pilot runs are slated for April 4 and 18.

“We'd like to be able to continue to do it at least twice a month depending on how Julie and Darlene (Kates) feel,” said Collins.

With the 26 participants at the first meal, Collins said she was pleased, but she also knows the reach can be greater.

“I'm sure there are people who we are still not reaching,” she said.

COAST had a driver lined up in order to drive anybody in need of transportation to the café, but the service was not utilized.

“Even if it's two blocks away, we will pick you up,” said Collins.

She added that she wants to get the word out there that the service is readily available to the community and that she wants it to be used.

“We're still going to advertise for that,” said Collins. “We really want to be able to serve them. The meal is for them, not us.”

The transportation service is free.

The meal last week was served at the café by LaCrosse High School freshmen. The café remained open during the meal, and the regular menu was also still available.

The meal is free, but a donation is also suggested.

“Everyone at the first one gave what they could,” said Collins. “It was great.”

The Council on Aging provides the food for the meals, at no cost to the LaCrosse Café, and the café provides the space and kitchen and cooks the meal.

The meal next Tuesday, April 4, is at noon and will also be the birthday meal. Each senior meal site has a birthday meal once a month to celebrate the birthdays for that month of all those in attendance.

“There will be cake,” Collins vowed.

Other menu items for the April 4 meal are spaghetti, garlic bread, Caesar salad and fruit.

Anyone needing transportation to the senior meal can call COAST in Colfax.

509-397-2935