Students at B.M.C. Durfee High School got to sample recipes from local school food service staff prepared with food from local vendors on Local Vendors' Day organized by Fall River Schools on May 8, 2013. Staff were asked to submit recipes that they liked and teams selected items to be prepared and served to the students. "We saw the pride that [local vendors] had with me coming in there and talking about their product," reported Whitsons Regional Chef and Trainor Rich Sandmann. Items included a homemade falafel, hummus, tabbouleh and tzatziki sauce special, a spicy Thai chicken stir fry, and Portugues kale soup. Many of the vegetables came from the Andrews Fruit and Produce in Fall River. Reviews from the students were uniformly positive. "This was a terrific demonstration of how eating local, healthy food can really appeal to students," commented Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard. Click here for a four-minute video of the event. For more information, contact Fall River Schools Chief Operationg Officer Tom Coogan at 508-675-8420 Ext 409.

(Top row, left) Fall River Schools Chief Operationg Officer Tom Coogan and Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard meet outside the B.M.C. Durfee High School cafeteria. (Top row, center) Maria Serpa and Olivia Cordeiro serve the winning recipes at lunchtime. (Top row, right) Whitsons Regional Chef and Trainor Rich Sandmann describes the menu items to Ms. Picard. (Bottom row, left) Waldalien Laureano, Darrian Walmsley and Lismar Garcia leave the lunch line with some Portugues soup. (Bottom row, center) Mr. Sandmann describes the event to videographer Pauline McGrath. (Bottom row, right) Ms. Picard asks Nick Cipriano and Melissa DeAlmeida how they like the lunch and gets a positive response.