SANGRE DE CRISTO VOLUNTEERS FOR COMMUNITY
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Greenhorn Valley seniors gather on Tuesdays to enjoy a hot lunch and each other’s company at the VFC/SRDA lunches Photo by Shirley Pigg
Like most things the Sange de Cristo Volunteers for Community (VFC) do, their partnership with the Pueblo Senior Resource Development Center (SRDA) to bring nutritious lunches for senior citizens is a great success. Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m., the beautiful Susan Kalman Peaks to Prairie Community Center located at 4705 Santa Fe Drive, in Colorado City opens its doors for lunch and neighborly socializing.
The lunches started at the Susan Kalman Peaks to Prairie Community Center on October 24, and attendance continues to grow as the word gets out in the community.
The lunches are served from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and are open to anyone age 60 and over who resides in Pueblo County. Pre-registration by calling SRDA (Senior Resource Development Center) at (719)543 0100 by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the meal.
Participants are required to complete a one-time assessment which is kept on file for all future meals.
Not only are residents able to enjoy a hot, nutritionally balanced meal at the center on Tuesday, but they can also sign up for a box of frozen meals to take home with them. This program assures that seniors have at least one good meal per day, thus improving the quality of life of many local seniors. This part of the program is also available on a donation basis.
While the lunches are hot and tasty, a good part of the lunch experience is getting to visit with friends and neighbors while enjoying the food. Everyone is encouraged to visit and exchange news.
Linda Lewis, manager of the Greenhorn Valley Branch of the Pueblo City County Library, implemented a program to provide books available to residents at the lunches. This is a great service for seniors who have trouble getting around or who do not drive to be able to pick up reading material at the same time and place that they have lunch.
The VFC provides a valuable community service in hosting the lunches and providing a beautiful setting for residents to enjoy.
They encourage anyone who might be interested to come out and try the lunches. The more attendance there is the more likely that the lunches will continue and possibly even expand services in the area.
