by Dominic Gideon ’14
Language week is packed with festivities which celebrate the value of language and the beauty of diversity; and one of the greatest displays of this cultural celebration, as well as one of the fan favorites, is the Food Extravaganza, or the Lammermeier Foundation Fundraiser as Mr. Turner likes to call it.
Dishes originating from Spanish and French speaking countries all over the world cover tables lining the senior lounge and Rade stage as students spend their language period trying to sell items they barely know more about than the buyer. Students pass on the high priced cafeteria food and bypass packing a lunch so to indulge in a huge variety of, for the most part, tasty, homemade servings of diverse foods for 50 cents a helping.
In addition to the great price, the $2000 raised goes toward charity─ the Paul Lammermeier Foundation, started by Mr. Lammermeier, class of 1957, to provide homes in Lima, Peru for homeless children.
According to Spanish teacher Mr. Kelley, The Food Extravaganza was originally the idea of Mr. Restifo, which made its debut about eight years ago while the modern languages were trying to find their staple for language week. In the early days of the event, there were some rough patches, for example the types and variety of food brought in, the organization and selling, and the distribution of credit to the food bearing students. Now, however, the day is run like a finely tuned machine even when there are game changing obstacles as they had this year.
Because of a few alterations of the week’s schedule the dining area was bombarded with action on Tuesday. Originally the Food Extravaganza was to be on Wednesday; so on Tuesday the atrium was given to college counseling for the Jesuit college fair, and the senior lounge tables were taken by Ripcho studios to distribute items to seniors.
Then came the bishop.
Because the mass for the bishop was scheduled for Wednesday, there was a shortened schedule on which the Extravaganza could not function, and so had to reschedule. But to what day?
Monday wouldn’t work because many students would inevitably forget to bring their food, Thursday was the Chariot Races and Friday, while nothing was planned, wasn’t an appealing day for the language department. So they decided to shove the food in with the colleges and Ripcho, who both couldn’t budge with the “Jesuit Excellence Tour” having a set schedule, and the Ripcho people having to distribute their items in conjunction with the Senior’s “End the Year Right Night” on Tuesday night.
Some students were very discontent, like senior Liam Patton: “This is absurd,” he said. “We have way too many kids all piled up in Rade. I’ve had 5th, 6th, and 7th period off, and I’ve had to fight for a table each time.”
When asked why he didn’t decide to go elsewhere he said, “I did my homework at home. I don’t do homework in the library. So I’m just relaxing.”
Other students were somewhat unhappy about the seating, yet were willing to compromise.
“I’m really hating being in the bullpen (Rade dining hall) with all these underclassmen because they’re not cool,” said Rick Kraay ‘14. “But at the cost of this food, I’ll take it any day.” The mug his mom surprisingly ordered from Ripcho, didn’t hurt either.
Lastly, some students kept the problem from bothering their experience of the day.
“I think it’s more annoying than the lack of tables when people complain about it,” said Philip Massouh ’16. “Everyone’s making it.”
Yet the cluttered eating quarters didn’t have a solely pernicious effect on the day. Mr. Kelley said how the forced reconfiguration has lead the language department to reconsider food placement in future years because of the much smoother flow of students, especially between periods.
To sum up the whole event, Connor Koenke ‘17 seemed to put it best: “It’s a good day for Saint Ignatius… go ’Cats.”
