In a brief ceremony on May 11, the Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee University (CKWL) celebrated reaching the milestone of delivering its 100,000th meal in the Rockbridge area. The event took place in the basement of the International House, which is expected to become the permanent home of CKWL in September 2012.

Kaitlin Bowdler, program manager for the Campus Kitchen Project (CKP) at the national office in Washington, D.C., attended the event and praised CKWL for its achievement, stating that she uses CKWL as a model for all of her other Campus Kitchens. "They really are one of our most amazing kitchens, and they've done some great things over the years," she said.

Harlan Beckley is the Fletcher Otey Thomas Professor of Religion, director of the Shepherd Poverty Program at W&L and a member of the Board of Visitors of CKP. He noted that CKWL has been in operation for more than five years, is the seventh largest Campus Kitchen in the United States and is the only one founded by a student leader (Ingrid Easton, a 2006 alumna of Washington and Lee). "It has flourished under the leadership of Jenny Davidson and the hard work of the many student leaders and volunteers," he said.

"Without the support of students, administration, many alumni and faculty, the Campus Kitchen would not be involved in the Rockbridge community in the way it currently is. The students benefit greatly from what they learn about nutrition and their community, and the community benefits from both the food and the contact with our students. We also avoid wasting tons of food each year," Beckley continued.

Beckley also expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of the house corporation at the Beta house and Kappa Sigma fraternity, which have both served as home to the Campus Kitchen in recent years.

Jenny Davidson, coordinator of Student Service Learning at W&L, said she was thrilled that CKWL has served its 100,000th meal. "The growth in our program is a testament to the commitment of our student leaders and to the generosity of our donors," she said. "We are excited to see what the future holds for the Campus Kitchen as we continue to expand our efforts."

Source: Washington and Lee University