Our Group was born in 2013, and since then it has provided regular monthly hot lunches for the Clients of the ASC in Newtown. Flexible in its structure, efficient and generous the group is by now well-known and well-loved both by the Staff of the ASC but most importantly by its growing number of its Clients.

The roster of the VDSA lunches is arranged on the basis of the calendar provided by the ASC. Trying to match dates with our volunteers’ availability implies quite a bit of juggling and a certain amount of shameless persistence. Thus, my apologies go to all those who get bombarded by my emails, reminders, memos etc etc

In 2018 as in previous years the VDSA Lunch Project Group has coped with the unpredictable number of ASC lunch participants by being extremely generous when calculating the quantities of food provided for each meal. In particular we have all remarked how fruit is so much in demand that regardless of how plentiful our baskets are they get emptied at the speed of light. Needless to say that in no occasion leftovers – if any – go wasted: they are carefully packed and happily travel to the homes of the ASC clients.

Since 2017 a refund of $100 per lunch can been claimed by keeping the dockets for Robbie Woolf, Association Secretary; however, to my knowledge this specific arrangement hasn’t been taken up yet, so I seize this opportunity to remind of its existence all those who might be interested.

One more practical note: since 2016 the VDSA Lunch teams can ask for a volunteer of the ASC to give a hand in the kitchen at whatever stage of our lunch we might need it, it is just enough to let the people at the desk know on arrival. This stipulation allows our members to be a bit more relaxed and manage some valuable interaction with the Clients during their meal.

Finally, but most importantly I wish to express my deep gratitude to each member of our Lunch Group for their unfailing dedication and generosity, with an additional heart-felt thank you to all those who contribute more than one lunch per year.

 

– Mariella Totaro Genevois

Coordinator, VDSA Lunch Project ACS