Is the Ranger Station going to open back up? A lot of people may have been asking this question and the answer is yes. The Ranger Station has been closed for a little bit during this school year. This is because the Livingston Food Resource Center (LFRC) has been helping to provide resources for it and they recently changed directors. They also need to make certain adjustments and set certain goals, according to Park High faculty liaison Laurie Knuchel.
The Ranger Station is a place where students can go to hang out and study. It also provides food and snacks to students who are hungry or need a quick something to eat.
One goal the LFRC and Knuchel are trying to set is to “Make sure there are available kits for meals,” Knuchel said. This is so that students aren’t going hungry. It is very important to the LFRC and Knuchel to make sure that students are aware that they have these resources available to them if they need them.
According to Jeanie Babcock, program coordinator and director at the LFRC, the LFRC is able to provide food for the Ranger Station because of the fundraising, donations, and grants they apply for. This helps to keep the Ranger Station open and to keep food and resources constantly flowing in.
The National Honor Society students also have a big role in the Ranger Station as well, not only helping staff the room during the school day but also making adjustments and setting goals related to this operation. “The Ranger Station also gave Honor Society students the chance to oversee a really cool and important program so that they have some ownership in it,” Babcock said.
With the Ranger Station being open from March to May last year, “we got a much better picture of the quantity and types of foods that students were taking,” Babcock said. This helped the LFRC prepare for this year better and to have a better estimate on how much food (resources) need to be provided.
Knuchel said they plan to have the Ranger Station open again this fall on September 27 and students will be able to use it when needed.