The Summer Alive program will not be able to hold their usual activities at the park this summer, but they are providing free, hot, pickup lunches for children and teens through age 18 Mondays through

Thursdays until July 30. Registration is required to receive the lunches so be sure to sign them up at www.summeralive.org. Meal pickup will be available at Montgomery Park, Coles Coffee, Craft & Consignment, Clinton Township Fire Hall, and the Oak Grove Community Center from

11:30-12:30 p.m. Home delivery can be arranged for families with extenuating circumstances.

The Summer Alive program was originally founded to make sure that students who relied on free and reduced-price breakfasts and lunches at school would be able to get good meals during the summer months. But did you know that the school cafeteria originally began as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project? The WPA was a program was started by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during the Great Depression to provide employment to people by doing projects that would

create public good.

The 1946 Montgomery-Clinton High School yearbook reported that the PTA sponsored the cafeteria in January of 1941 so that students could have hot meals served on the school grounds at a minimal cost. The students were charged 20 cents a week (about $3.49 in today’s money). Food was donated by the government and the cafeteria workers were WPA employees during the first two years. By 1946, costs had gone up but the government was still providing nine cents for lunch and two cents for a half-pint of milk for each student. The cost for the students was 12 cents for lunch and milk, and two additional cents if they wanted a second bottle of milk (in today’s money that’s $1.58 and 26 cents respectively). Milk was served in glass bottles and the students got their lunch tray and ate in their home rooms. One of the meals that was served was “1/2 pint of milk, sandwich, mashed potatoes and dressing, meat loaf (ground veal and pork).” A note mentioned that it was impossible to serve fruit and cookies every day due to war shortages. Can you imagine a public high school cafeteria today serving veal? I’d happily pay a $1.58 for that.

THOT- “Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Events

Saturday, Jun.13-The Oak Grove Community Center will be having a Chicken Barbeque from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. This meal will be carry-out only and pre-orders are requested and includes half a chicken, baked beans, macaroni salad, and a roll. To place a pre-order call or text Jenny at (570) 279-6578.

Birthday wishes go to Maddie Solano-LaForme, who will be celebrating her special day on June 3.

Happy birthday to Silas Heasley, who will be turning eight on June 6.

Kelly Harman is commemorating another year on June 8. Many happy returns, Kelly!

A very warm welcome to the world goes to Shepard Glenn Steward, who was born on May 29. His proud parents are Blair Steward and Marissa Rojas, and his big sister is Briella Steward.

Congratulations to Montgomery’s Class of 2020 who will mark their high school graduation on Friday, June 5. It will be a private ceremony for seniors and their immediate families. This will be a socially-distanced event that will be very different that the school’s traditional ceremony. Best wishes to the seniors as they make their way into the world.

The Montgomery Borough Council meetings are being held on Zoom until further notice. Please visit the Montgomery Borough Facebook page for login information.

The Borough is offering brush pickup every Wednesday for limbs and sticks that are four inches in diameter or less. Pickups must be pre-arranged with the Borough Office at (570) 547-1671. The brush pile is open on Wednesdays.

Please hold donations to the Community Aid bin until further notice.

Orders for Hometown Hero Banners can be placed until September. Contact Fae Herb at faeherb@aol.com or (570) 506-9892.

Garden plots are available to rent in the Community Garden. Applications are available from Susan Andrews at sandrews@montgomeryborough.org.

Please follow the Montgomery Emergency Management Agency Facebook page to receive timely warnings and emergency information. If you are interested in volunteering with the Agency, please contact Dennis Gruver at (570) 547-6777.

Are you available to volunteer with one of our local fire companies? People are needed to serve in a variety of emergency and non-emergency roles. For more information call either the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company at (570) 547-1380 or the Clinton Township Fire Department

at (570) 547-1000.

If you would like to join the Montgomery Lions Club, call Roger McRae at (570) 971-2825.