Joint Effort Yields Tasty Senior Lunches

Fine dining Julian style. Inez Ahlers, left, and Marion De Venta dine on spaghetti provided by Julian Café. Photo by Bobbi Zane

By Bobbi Zane

Earlier this year, seniors who gather daily in Town Hall for lunch and companionship decided they’d had it.

They were sick and tired of the quality of food they received each day under the county program that provided the meals. And they wanted some changes.

Members of the group, now informally calling itself the Senior Lunch Club, requested menu changes from the program administrators. They wanted healthier items, according to Vee Lumpkins, who has run the lunch program in Julian for more than two decades.

Man-size servings: James Dare, left, and Ben Wilson help themselves to spaghetti and salad. Photo by Bobbi Zane

“They wanted more variety and fresh foods like fruits and vegetables,” Lumpkins said.

The new program that started April 1, according to Lumpkins, was a bit unorthodox. But it proved to be a

win-win — both for the Julian seniors and for several local restaurants and bakeries that now cater the lunches. The restaurants serve a wide variety of entrees, ranging from tamales to stuffed turkey pockets to deli sandwiches, at prices affordable to the seniors.

Lumpkins, who has been with the program since Gerta Bennett started it in the 1970s, said she knew there had to be a better way to get lunches for the eight to 12 seniors who meet in Town Hall and the 12 or so “shut-ins” who receive Meals on Wheels every day.

The solution came out of a discussion with Christy Conn of the Julian Café, who told Lumpkins, “We’d love to accommodate the program.”

The first restaurant to participate, the Julian Café now serves delicious healthy entrees three days a week. Marge Regalado, owner of Margaritas, joined the effort and now supplies tamales, tacos and enchiladas. Finally, Jacks Grocery offered to provide deli sandwiches and salads once a week.

To round out the meals, Lumpkins obtains food donations from Dudley’s, which provides 15 loaves of bread and pastries each week. The Julian Pie Company donates pies, doughnuts and cookies, while Mom’s donates pies. Salads come from Apple Alley.

The seniors select from menus provided by the restaurants and pay for their own lunches at reduced rates, $3 to $3.50 per meal.

The senior lunch program has two elements: the daily lunches served in Town Hall and the meals delivered daily to people confined to their homes by illness or age. Five volunteer drivers visit each homebound senior in Pine Hills and Harrison Park as well as in town.

“Many of these people are alone and don’t have much contact with others,” Lumpkins said, “so the drivers usually spend some time at each home and check on their welfare.”

Operating this program costs more than the seniors pay, according to Lumpkins, who welcomes donations to offset costs of beverages, paper goods and other items.

“We have received funds from the American Legion Auxiliary and private citizens who want to help,” she said. “Two ladies have donated money to pay for lunches for two homebound seniors who have high medical expenses and might not be able to afford the service.

“Our lunch program is open to all,” she added, “but having money lets me offer more balanced nutrition.”

Lumpkins will gratefully accept donations to offset some of the expenses. They can be sent to her at

P.O. Box 2228, Julian CA 92036 or delivered to her at Town Hall any weekday morning after 10.