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Rotary, reverend, city partner on free White Rock lunch program

Initiative aimed at homeless and others in need
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The Rotary Club of White Rock is partnering with Rev. Joan McMurtry and the City of White Rock to offer a free daily hot lunch program in the uptown area, starting this Thursday. (Google Streetview image)

The Rotary Club of White Rock is partnering with Rev. Joan McMurtry and the City of White Rock to offer a free daily hot lunch program in the uptown area, starting this Thursday (May 21).

“The program is aimed at providing hot lunches every day for those who have fallen on hard times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the homeless,” said club past-president Raj Rajogopal, who is spearheading the initiative along with committee co-chairs Monique Husslage and Gordy Sangha.

He said that club members will deliver the free packaged lunches for distribution at the gravel parking lot at the corner of Johnston Road and Russell Avenue (adjacent to White Rock Playhouse and across the street from 3 Dogs Brewing) each day between noon and 1 p.m.

“Seriously Good Catering and Red Rose Restaurant are partnering with us by cooking the lunches and providing them to us at $5 per lunch,” Rajogopal said.

Save-on-Foods is providing corporate discounts to the program, he added, while the city is permitting the club to display signs with the Rotary logo at the site to help promote the initiative.

White Rock council approved the use of the parking lot for meal distribution in April on the understanding that social distancing measures will be in place, and that meals are taken away and eaten elsewhere to prevent congregation of groups of recipients on site.