Food Runners volunteer Tamsyn's kids were bored. Bored silly. By the fifth week of summer vacation, day camp was getting old and besides, it was Sunday. No camp on Sunday and most activities around town would be too clogged with tourists to be worth attending, to say nothing of the inevitable nightmare of parking. "It's my turn for the iPad," whined Perrine, Tamsyn's youngest, just as the the Lego model James had been working on clattered to the floor, shattering upon impact. "See what you made me do Helena?" James screamed at his sister who had been hula hooping nearby to music blaring from the iPad. "It's not my fault," Helena shouted storming up the stairs. Oy. Sound familiar?
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| 3 Bored Kids |
Tamsyn knew just the remedy. "C'mon kids. Get in the car. We're going on a food run. Helena, get some bags. Perrine put your shoes on. James; Henry and his mom are going to meet us at the market. You and Henry can be the food guards. Let's go earn some angel wings!"
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| Something to Do! |
Twenty minutes later, Tamsyn wielded her silver van through the throngs at the Fort Mason Farmers Market. To Tamsyn's shock and amazement, she found parking without having to circle the lot. The market looked busier than usual. Henry and his mom were waiting at the Roti Chicken truck as planned. Tamsyn stationed James and Henry on the small cement island at the head of the market. "We'll pile up the food up here and you make sure no one takes anything before we're ready to load the cars," Tamsyn instructed. The boys puffed with self importance at being handed such a heady job. "Helena, you help Henry's mom with that side of the market. Perrine and I will do this side," Tamsyn continued.
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| Men Guarding the Food |
With that, the ladies/girls headed off, bags in hand, to the various vendors to collect the day's donations. And what donations they were! 2 giant bags of head lettuce, 1 box of oranges, numerous bunches of chard and other greens, several bags of tomatoes, a crate of onions, a crate of yellow squash, a flat of strawberries and oh... the bags upon bags of plums and nectarines! All farm fresh. All beautiful. All ready to be delivered to San Franciscans in need.
When all the donations had been collected, the kids helped Tamsyn and Henry's mom load their respective vehicles. "That was fun, Mom," Henry exclaimed. "Can we do it again?" Henry's mom smiled. "Who needs Pier 39 or Alcatraz on a summer weekend when you've got Food Runners," she chuckled to Tamsyn. "And the price is right too!"
"Mommy," Perrine chirped as she climbed into her car seat. "Did I earn my wings?" "Yes," Tamsyn assured with pride. "You earned your wings. Thank you for a great Sunday afternoon, Food Runners."
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| Little Angel |
The dog, or in the case of San Francisco, the "fog" days of summer are here. Are you hosting a barbecue or a picnic this month or know someone who is? Undoubtedly there will be leftovers. Don't throw them away! Call Food Runners at 415-929-1866. Getting food to your fellow San Franciscans in need is that easy. Food Runners can't wait to hear from you.
