I’m delighted that finally all the snow piles are gone, and the red-winged blackbirds and robins are now romping around my backyard. I guess I can now reliably relocate my red snow shovel back into my shed. It will be interesting to see if having that snowpack on my garden for so long ends up benefiting my garden yield this year. It was so cold for so long that the snow never seemed to melt. Supposedly it acts as a “winter mulch” protecting roots and providing nitrogen-rich hydration to the soil as it melts. I hope it’s true!

With the warmer spring weather comes more activities around Town. One of the very popular programs which will start its third year of operation is the weekly free Yummy Community Lunch hosted by St. Anthonys Church in Yulan and held in the Community Center across from the Church. The opening will be held on Tuesday, April 7^th starting at noon. I asked Harry the chef (who retired from IBM’s Corporate Dining Service) about the first day menu- its chicken pot pie, fresh green salad, dessert, and beverages. The weekly menus are always delicious classic comfort foods and each holiday comes with a special menu. The lunch program is an opportunity for our community to get out of the house, come together in a relaxed environment and have a lovely afternoon catching up with their neighbors. The lunch program has no special criteria or restrictions on age or income- literally anyone can attend. Usually there are about forty guests, so you are sure to run into someone you know.

The Community Lunch at St. Anthony’s Church is supported by a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. Mother Cabrini, an Italian nun who at the behest of Pope Leo XII arrived in the US in 1887 to help immigrants, founded numerous orphanages, schools, and hospitals serving marginalized groups. Before her death, she established sixty-seven institutions nationwide and became the first US citizen recognized as a Catholic saint. 

The Cabrini Foundation was established in 2018 after the Catholic Church sold its not-for-profit health plan, Fidelis Care to Centene Corporation a major government sponsored health services provider allowing them to enter the very competitive New York health services market while maintaining Fidelis Care brand and it’s not for profit mission. The sale generated $3.75 billion dollars which was a resource for the establishment of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to further uphold her mission of serving the poor and underserved communities across New York State by supporting programs fostering healthier families, children’s services and building stronger communities with health and nutrition programs. 

In 2025, the Foundation granted $208 million dollars to statewide agencies, programs, and institutions, including support for the St. Anthony’s Community Lunch. Negotiations are currently underway with the Foundation to support our new Highland Health Care Center, which will open in a few months. So, mark your calendars for the Community Lunch on Tuesdays which is held starting at noon at the St. Anthony’s Church’s Community Center located at 25 Beaver Brook Road in Yulan and there is plenty of parking. If you have any questions or are interested in volunteering with the Community Lunch Program, please call Linda at 845-332-3357.