Dolly Long has been in Lewiston College kitchens for more than forty years. She tears up a little, wondering if she has a month left. “I’ve simply loved the complete time,” said Long, 69. “I don’t suppose there’s an afternoon that I ever stated, ‘I don’t need to visit paintings.’ I’m going to miss my entire college. I’m going to overlook my personnel. I’m going to overlook all of it. However, it’s time.” Long commenced as an alternative in the Lewiston High School kitchen when her daughter drew close to kindergarten age. It became a super activity for a working mother, with hours lined up with college and summers off.
About 18 months later, in 1980, she was hired as a full-time cook at Pettingill Elementary School. Farwell Elementary School had a gap for a kitchen manager a year later. Long has been there ever seeing that. “I’ve constantly cherished youngsters, and that’s a big pull on this vicinity. Children are our enterprise,” Long stated. “No kids, no business.” She orders meals, keeps kitchen shelves and coolers tightly organized, facilitates the kitchen team of workers once they want a hand, and sits at the sign-in to test kids out during meals.
She has found out lots of names over the years. “If I go grocery buying, or (I’m) out and approximately, it makes me glad after they understand me, I recognize them, after which we’ve got communication,” Long said. “I’ve got an alternative coming in next week, and she used to come here. She says, ‘You had been my lunch lady.’ I stated, ‘Did you have dirty blond hair?’ She says, ‘Yes, I did.'”
She remembered the woman as a bit of a lady. These days, Long and her workers feed about 240 college students for breakfast and approximately 360 for lunch. Kids call her “Miss Dolly.” Over Long’s career, students have usually cherished tater tots, smiley face fries, chicken nuggets, and pizza, even though how some of the food is made has been modified.
Popcorn bird served Thursday had whole-grain breading. Pizza was used, first of all, dough they rolled out by hand; however, that changed into hard-on-the- shoulders. Now, it’s far frozen, right-length shells. “We’ve virtually long past healthier,” Long stated. “More fruits and veggies.” Long is satisfied that extra packages now provide college students access to loose breakfast and lunch, culmination, and greens.
“Many kids would likely pass hungry rather,” she stated. “I’ve seen that and tried to help out anyplace needed. It’s been very (emotional) when you see children, and you know there’s nothing there (at home). It’s miserable.” She used to sit on the Maine School Food Service Association board, which opened the door for touring and finding new cooking thoughts and recipes.
Long said Jeanne Hood, the now-retired school nutrition director, became her career mentor. “She became a huge encouragement for all my days,” Long said. When she told Hood she might be retiring, Hood applauded the news. Long would now have greater time to come out for lunch. Long stated she could omit college occasions, including the yearly Pumpkin Festival and being part of the faculty community.
Long stated she does now not have particular plans for her retirement. She will probably keep getting up at 3 a.m. However, she says she will have greater time for analyzing, taking walks, laughing things with her husband of 52 years, Norm, and spending time with her 19-month-old top-notch-grandson, Brady.
