By Darren Lum
Published Feb. 12 2019
Yes there is such a thing as a free lunch.
SIRCH Community Services is inviting the public to its Lunch is on Us offering every Thursday this month.
Held from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. at SIRCH Central located at 2 Victoria St. in Haliburton SIRCH invites people to dine in or take out to warm their bellies and their souls.
Angelica Ingram of SIRCH said the idea came from executive director Gena Robertson who thought the challenges that come up in February – shovelling snow cold weather and added expenses – makes it an ideal month to provide something for the community.
“Recognizing that others may be feeling the same way SIRCH decided to do something to make February a little more fun a bit less isolating and just make life a little lighter for people during the dreaded February” Robertson wrote in a blog post on the SIRCH website.
She finishes her post by saying “Bring some friends or make new ones. Eat in or take food home. Everyone is welcome. There’s no charge and (even better) no dishes! Help us change February’s reputation!”
Ingram said the success of this event will be determined by public feedback.
“Even if we have five people who say ‘This really made a difference in my day.’ One of the first people that came in for lunch said ‘I really appreciate this.’ He was taking a lunch out for him and his wife … it seemed to brighten up his day. And that’s all we need is just to hear from people that it makes a difference in their day and in their month” she said.
Donations will be accepted but are not required she adds.
On the first day the menu included a wide range of items for the meat lover to the veggie lover.
There were wings and rice pulled pork on a kaiser sandwich and soup and a vegan dish saag mung dahl served with jasmine rice.
Cooking up the food was SIRCH’s food initiatives co-ordinator Jay McIvor who said the upcoming dates (Feb. 14 21 and 28) will likely offer a similar range to appeal to more people.
He said this event was made possible by Community Kitchen funds and a private donation.
Anje Hilkers of Carnarvon who has come to SIRCH’s food events before dropped in on the first day when she saw the sign in town.
As several people came through the door Hilkers received her order of soup for her husband and the saag mung dahl for herself.
She said “I love it. I think it’s so nice and to see people here.”
