Food Run Report - Leupp 4/26/12

by John Aldrich

Although the weather radar indicated some precipitation to the south of Winslow, we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning and made our way to the Denny's restaurant at the Flying J Travel Plaza where we have our organizational meetings prior to the food runs.

We need to meet early because Winslow, like most of Arizona, doesn't observe daylight savings time, and we will lose an hour when we travel to the reservation which does observe it. At these meetings we are told the outline for the activities of the day plus other special announcements.

As food runs go, Leupp is a short easy drive of about 35 miles. We use the senior center for the food run and a parking lot nearby to set up the Rainbow Circle. As the box crew starts to unload the Penske truck, Boyd Mitchell includes some potatoes that were sent as a donation by his family.

Unfortunately there is a fence between the parking lot and the senior center, so any boxes destined for inside must be hefted over the fence. Here Don Bagley passes a box to new volunteer Frank Lesar.

Roy Wilson, a local Navajo from Leupp, always comes to help us outside with the boxes.

Inside, new volunteers Ei Ei Khin and Shirley Luebbers were assigned to the "food committee" to help the local Navajos prepare the meal for the food run. The entree of the day was Navajo tacos which required plenty of chopping.

Several of the volunteers on this run were able to meet with the Elders they sponsor. Shirley Upchurch from Georgia visited with Alice and Austin Tso.

While Tracey and Tom Hogan met with Susie Rusell.

The giveaway committee, working with Wendy Sanborn, created another enticing display of items that were to be passed out later.

Kate Maxwell Stephens, who drives the medical van, found an Elder with a wound that needed some attention. With the supplies she had on hand this was easily accomplished.

Lola Bahe is our coordinator at Leupp as well as the director of the senior center. Everyone loves her.

During the introductions of the volunteers, Lola wanted to stand with the Georgia Peaches for their signature, "Ya'at'eeh Y'all", greeting. In the foreground, Tracey Ramsden from England, impressed the Elders with the distance she had traveled to be a part of the food run.

A number of volunteers received gifts from the Elders. Rita Clark of Wyoming acknowledges a present from Betty Crosby.

While we were inside for the program portion of the food run, the rain caught up with us, and it rained quite hard for a time. The box crew had to place the flour sacks in plastic bags and cover the whole Rainbow Circle with tarps.

Fortunately, by the time we started loading the Elders' vehicles, the rain had eased up a bit, so the final step in the food run could be accomplished.

And by the time we got back to Winslow, the sun was out again.