'Cook's Night Off': Program offers free meal, familiar faces, for seniors

Paul Leighton, The Salem News, Beverly, Mass.
·3 min read

Apr. 13—BEVERLY — When the Beverly Senior Center held its first "Cook's Night Off" event earlier this month, the starting time for the free meal program was 5 p.m.

By 5:08 p.m., all the meals were gone.

The quick turnaround time reflected more than some senior citizens' preference for an early dinner. It also revealed the pent-up demand for a good restaurant meal and the chance, however brief, to finally socialize with friends again.

"It's so good to start getting out and doing things with the Senior Center," said Ruth Ann Brewer, who attended the latest event on Thursday. "It's been a year."

The Beverly Senior Center came up with the idea of "Cook's Night Off" when the Massachusetts Council on Aging offered grant money for programs related to food insecurity. Using the $6,000 grant it was awarded, the Senior Center teamed up with seven local restaurants to provide 25 free restaurant takeout meals to seniors on six Thursdays in April, May and June.

"We thought, 'Let's try something fun,'" Council on Aging Director MaryAnn Holak said. "We need to get back to fun."

After all 25 meals were taken in less than 10 minutes in the first week, the Senior Center increased the number to 35 meals this past Thursday and also started a waiting list.

This week's meal — lemon caper chicken over a side of pasta with a sugar cookie for dessert — was provided by REV Kitchen & Bar, a restaurant on Enon Street in Beverly. The meals were laid out in paper bags on a table in the parking lot at the Senior Center, where seniors could stop by and grab them to go. Each event also includes fresh produce from John's Produce of Chelsea, displayed on a new farmstand built by Chip Palmer, the Senior Center's custodian and building manager.

Holak said the fresh produce will help isolated seniors who may not be eating healthy food during the pandemic. Lucille Bouchard, 85, said she didn't realize how much she enjoyed spinach and avocado until she got some at the Senior Center last week.

Bouchard said programs like "Cook's Night Off" are a lifeline for seniors who haven't been able to go to the Senior Center, which has been mostly closed to indoor events throughout the pandemic. Bouchard also signed up for a walking club that does laps at the Beverly High School outdoor track.

"I've made friends," she said.

The Senior Center also started "A Walk in the Woods" with a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Every Wednesday 12 seniors will be walking a different nature trail in Beverly led by activities coordinator Tess Conley. Participants will get a T-shirt, fanny pack and journal.

Jean Bernard, 74, said the meals program has been great for her and her husband, although she joked that she would like to see it start earlier. "I'm a senior and I like to eat out at 4."

"They're all wonderful here," she said of the Senior Center.

Todd Rotondo, co-owner of Cafe Salerno, said the program has also provided a boost to struggling restaurants. Cafe Salerno provided a meal of meatball subs, garden salad and cookies on the first night. The other participating restaurants are Super Sub, Soma, A&B Burgers, Butter "UR" Biscuit, and Joe's On A Roll.

"Their main goal was to get the seniors out and have a little fun and not have to cook," Rotondo said. "But it also gives the restaurants a little boost for one night. The restaurants are really hurting right now. It's good for everyone."

Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@salemnews.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.

HOW TO SIGN UP

"Cook's Night Off" fills up quickly. Signups start at 9 a.m. on the Monday the week before each event. See the Beverly Senior Center's newsletter for more information on how to sign up, or call 978-921-6017 for details.