Lunch Bunch returns for summer

BY RYAN PALENCER June 05, 2009 08:35 am

— RYAN PALENCER/FLYER PHOTOS
At Lunch Bunch, children enjoy sack lunches in a social environment.

Each session features guest readers, including the Danville basketball team and guard Michael Humphrey.

While some children will be wasting their summer in front of the television, one program in the county is attempting to change that.
The Kids’ Summer Lunch Bunch gives children the opportunity to enjoy lunches with other children, read, and exercise.
“It’s a great opportunity for kids to learn about taking care of their bodies, eating healthy, running, and exercising,” Julie Randall, coordinator of the Danville program and a member of the program’s county board of directors, said. “At the same time, encouraging reading. Our slogan is ‘we eat, we read, we run.’... It’s a good opportunity for the kids to do something productive over the summer.”
Lunch Bunch is put on by sponsors and volunteers. Children are invited to gather at selected sites throughout the county for lunch, reading, and exercise.
Though this is the program’s fourth year in Danville, it has been around since the summer of 2004. The program began in Plainfield.
“We just wanted to do it as a community in Hendricks County,” Randall said. “We are in 10 different towns in Hendricks County. We wanted to start in Danville to provide lunch, a running program, and reading to kids in our community.”
Through the years, the Lunch Bunch program has seen a significant amount of growth.
“Our first year, we had about 150 kids per week,” Randall said. “Now were up to 500 kids per week, so it’s a huge difference.”
Participants each receive a sack lunch.
“The lunches are a great reason for doing it, but one of the biggest appeals, I think, is the running,” Randall said. “The kids get really excited to run, exercise, and take care of their bodies.”
In addition to the lunch and exercise, each session provides children with an opportunity to hear a story and even take home a book of their own.
“Every child gets a free book at every session,” Randall said. “Usually a local educator will read a story to the kids too.”
Last year, more than 4,100 sack lunches were served and more than 4,000 books were given to children in Danville alone.
“In Danville, we feed lunches to about 500 kids at two sites,” Randall said. “We have about 300 at (Ellis Park) and about 200 at Clear Creek (subdivision).”
When the children arrive, they are given a lunch, which is donated by a community group.
Children of all ages are welcome to attend the Lunch Bunch programs, which all begin at noon.

Lunch Bunch schedule
n Amo Community Center
June 16 and 30
July 14 and 28.
n Amo-Mill Creek West shelter house
June 9 and 23
July 7 and 21
n Avon Town Hall park shelter
June 9, 16, 23, and 30
July 7, 14, 21, and 28
n Brownsburg Town Hall gazebo
June 9, 16, 23, and 30
July 7, 14, 21, and 28
n Clear Creek subdivision in Danville
June 10, 17, and 24
July 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
n Ellis Park in Danville
June 9, 16, 23, and 30
July 7, 14, 21, and 28
Aug. 4
n North Salem Town Park
June 9, 16, and 30
July 7, 14, 21, and 28
n Franklin Park in Plainfield
June 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30
July 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, and 30
Aug. 4
n Gladden Farms Apartments in Plainfield
June 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30
July 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, and 30
Aug. 4

ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com

Photos