By Anne Gibson
Members of Vail Serves Vail gathered in the Rocking K courtyard of Heather and Jon Stough bright and shiny on Wednesday, May 6th at 7 am to prepare 100 goodie bags each filled with home baked cookies and a message of thanks for their service.
“Vail Serves Vail is a subcommittee of the Vail Religious Leaders that meets monthly. On Monday, May 4, we had a Zoom meeting to continue a discussion on what we can do in the current restricted environment to help families in the Vail community,” said Cole Thies, VSV Subcommittee Chair. “On the agenda was scheduled a discussion on how to use Facebook to learn of needs. After hearing a report from Vail School District Community and Connections Director Heather Stough on the important work being done with the ‘Grab n Go’ program to feed families in need in the Vail School District the focus changed to how to show appreciation for the bus drivers and Aramark food service employees instrumental in the operation of the program.”
“We gathered ideas, and decided that we, as a group, could bake and bag cookies with a special note of appreciation to be given to these tireless workers. On Wednesday, wearing masks and observing proper social distancing, we met with our cookies and prepared the gift bags. It was a great experience for all of us, especially seeing pictures of those who received our small act of appreciation,” said Thies.
Stough told us that bus drivers and Aramark food servers have become student favorites, “because these are the staff people they connect with five days a week every week during these unsettled times. The Grab n Go program began March 30 with 1,400 white bags of lunch and breakfast for children 18 and under. Today the six-week program delivers 2,800 bags to children waiting at bus stops and seven participating schools.” Stough finished, explaining that the program will be completed May 22nd at the end of the school year.
