#Included: the Lunch Club

Take a closer look into the Lunch Club and their goal to make sure that nobody sits alone during lunch.

by Lily Hansen, Contributing Reporter
October 3, 2020

Amidst the quiet halls, there’s a bustling in Mrs. Seaquist’s room during lunch. Students sit in a circle in the center of the room next to the desks. They begin to unpack their lunch and talk amongst themselves. The light-heartedness of the room creates a warm atmosphere where there are smiling faces and laughter fills the halls. This is the Lunch Club.

The Lunch Club meets every Wednesday during B lunch and Thursday during A lunch. (Lunch periods are subject to change at semester.) Wednesday’s club meetings are held in room 9700 and Thursday’s club meeting are held in room 4126. 

“The Lunch Club is important because they listen to a voice that’s aching to be heard, it gives freedom to be open creatively in thought and also it gives nothing but love and support,” co-president Camden Piper ‘21 said.

The club was founded on the principle of kindness.

“I always hated seeing people sit alone,” club founder, Maddy Zilligen ’20 said. “When I had the courage, I asked if they would sit with me. They didn’t always take the offer. My voice coach, with whom I am very close, told me about her son who ended up walking the halls or sitting in the bathroom. He was all alone. I was not about to watch that happen in my school.”

The Lunch Club meets for their end-of-year picnic at Paintbrush Park June 14. The club delayed their picnic because of the Coronavirus scare and waited in until it was safe to meet. “In all honesty, this Clint was life’s changing because quite literally I ask able to save people’s lives. It helped me em grow as a person to be empathetic and mature. I met some of my best friends and great people through this club. It was one of the best parts of high school. I’m going to miss it, but I know I’m leaving it in good hands and I can’t wait to see it grow,” club president and founder Maddy Zilligen ‘20 said. (photo by Lily Hansen)

Lunch Club is a home at school that offers constant love and support celebrating each other’s victories and happiness. They describe themselves as family with the sole purpose to be there for each other, offer their hands in help, and give people a place to go during lunch. 

“The Lunch Club is important to me and I believe it will be for a lot of people because it gave me my voice back and I finally gained some color in my life. While dealing with my depression, it seemed like everyone, even the ones who had the same interest[s] as me saw me as someone who wasn’t worth anything. When I moved and confronted my issues, I was still distant and my trust in people was low,” Piper said. “It didn’t matter how I looked, how I was viewed or how I said that one thing. Regardless of what I’ve said, they accepted it and for the first time in my life I’ve met real genuine people.”

To be a member of the club, all students need to do is show up. There is no sign up required and nothing you need to do but be yourself.

Check out the club’s website and social media.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CFRAl1jnj7e/?igshid=tz4qg0iuhkjg