LAKEWOOD, Colo. – When you’re expecting guests for lunch, it’s important to welcome them with a smile. At the Clements Community Center in Lakewood, that has been Sue Leonard’s job for the past decade.
“I came here, because I needed a place to be,” Sue recalls. “She handed me the application and she said, When I turned it in, ‘What are you good at?’ and I said, ‘Tormenting the seniors.’ So she put me right on and I've been here ever since.”
Since that day, Sue has been telling everyone about the hot meals available to them at the Clements Center, often going door to door in the community she lives in. Everyone who shows up for a meal is greeted with a smile and usually a laugh. Sue loves to tell stories, including one about how she fell during lunch a few weeks back.
“I got right back up and darn it they didn't even have to call the EMTs. You know how gorgeous those guys are?” she laughs recalling the incident.
“She cuts up with everyone and she makes everyone feel welcome,” says Sarah Sperandeo, the director of the hot lunch program.
- For information about lunch at the Clements Center, click here
- For general information about the Clements Center, click here
The program offers lunch for seniors Mondays through Thursdays. They suggest diners make a contribution to the lunch program each time they come, but Sue says she’s never turned anyone away who couldn’t pay. In addition to hot lunch, they share jokes, trivia and inspirational thoughts every day to keep people actively engaged.
“The energy in here just keeps you moving,” Sues says.
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