The Mitchell Salvation Army has done much in the past to provide help to the community. Now, the organization is offering a new option for Mitchell-area residents: a Saturday lunch, with the help of many other churches and businesses in the area.
The Adopt a Saturday Lunch program serves lunch to anyone who wants it from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. each Saturday when there isn't a conflict with scheduling at the Salvation Army. The next lunch will be July 22 and is being provided by St. John's Lutheran Church, Dimock.
Linda Heath, a social worker and director of volunteers at the Mitchell Salvation Army, started the Adopt a Saturday Lunch program last year hoping to fill a need in Mitchell.
"There were really no meals available on the weekends, so this fills in," she said. "So far, I've just asked the churches, but I welcome the clubs. We provide the clients and the space; they provide the food and the labor."
Each of the lunches attracts about 65 to 85 people, Heath said.
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"It's good for a church that doesn't have the capacity to serve a Love Feast, for them to reach out," Heath said. "As one of the ladies told me, 'That's not even a big funeral.' "
Mary Lou Voigt, the social concerns chairwoman at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Mitchell, said there is a "definite need" for the program.
"Children particularly need the food," she said. "They seem really appreciative."
Voigt said helping at the Mitchell Adopt a Saturday Lunch program is much more convenient for local churches that would normally have to travel to Sioux Falls to help at the free meal program run by The Banquet, an organization that also helps feed the state's hungry.
"Originally, we went to Sioux falls," Voigt said. "I just felt the need in Mitchell was here."
Several churches and even some area businesses have become involved to the point that only seven openings are left to serve lunch for the rest of 2006, Heath said.
"I find that all programs you start take two years to get going," she said. "It really kicked into high gear this year. My original goal was to try for two a month and do it on weekends when there wasn't a Love Feast. In February we only had one Saturday. We had one in March and then in April we had two. If you look in August I have all the weekends full. It's a year-round situation."
As far as the food goes, Heath said the meals are not fancy, but are usually nutritious.
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"It's been everything from goulash to lasagna, scalloped potatoes and ham, sloppy joes," said Heath. "These are church ladies -- they're very smart about serving a balanced meal. They bring a nice variety. We can always use more groups and it doesn't have to be fancy."
The Salvation Army normally serves lunch regularly from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, but the Adopt a Saturday Lunch program has added just one more aspect of caring to the Mitchell community, Heath said.
"Our budget doesn't allow us to add that extra meal," she said. "This was a way to provide the service and share the cost."
