By Madie Murray
Our outdated 35-year-old cafeteria is housed within the equally outdated 35-year-old middle school. From a kitchen about the size of a large home kitchen with one range and inadequate prep and serving space, our incredible cafeteria staff puts out breakfasts and lunches for up to 300 kids every school day. Almost all of the equipment is on its last leg and refrigerators and freezers (most very old and energy-eaters) are spread out from the cafeteria eating areas to the loading dock.
The school bond, which you will be voting on and due February 9, includes a new school kitchen with a warm and welcoming cafeteria and commons area where the kids, parents and community will look forward to coming together to enjoy good, wholesome food as well as have an area where the art of cooking and good nutrition may be explored. Also, students will be able and proud to earn credit by assisting the staff for lunches and special events. Presently, just three people bump in to one another, and the efficiency factor is greatly diminished by the actuality that the school kitchen is simply too small and too outdated to serve today’s population in our public school to the best of its ability, let alone allow additional people in the kitchen area to help.
Needless to say, the impact of the Farm to Cafeteria Program will be greatly enhanced by the presence of energy efficient and adequate storage areas for fresh and 5th Season products, the ability to accommodate more bodies in the kitchen, and the addition of sufficient areas for serving and processing fresh foods and scratch cooking.
And another wonderful thing about the proposed new cafeteria is the community space it will provide – including the kitchen – for events, culinary classes and meetings. There is simply no downside to building a new cafeteria, and your YES vote on the bond will make it happen.
Madie Murray is Chair of the Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Committee
