What better way to celebrate conceiving, chopping, cooking, and delivering 50,000 meals to the local community than holding a 5k race? The Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee University planned for just that as its 50,000 milestone (CKWL currently serves 13 agencies) neared.

Last Friday, CKWL dished out its 50,000th meal at the Magnolia Center, a facility for developmentally disabled adults. This weekend, Saturday March 20, they’ll hold a 5k race on campus to help celebrate and recognize the accomplishment.

At the Magnolia Center, students served up spaghetti and homemade meatballs, mixed vegetables and pineapple upside down cake to mark 50,000. The guest who gobbled up the 50,000th meal also received a free Campus Kitchen t-shirt, but the real celebration is set to take place this weekend at CKWL’s first-ever 5k run.

The event allows students and other participants to sign up early by emailing Campus Kitchen coordinator Jenny Sproul (campuskitchen@wlu.edu). Or, show up to the Campus Kitchen table at Washington and Lee’s Law School fields beginning at 8 a.m. and register for $10. Students can use their student cards for payment and all proceeds go towards the Campus Kitchen.

Sproul says she already has both Washington and Lee staff and students signed up to run the 3.1 miles around campus this Saturday. An awards ceremony will follow the race, which includes the presentation of fork and knife trophies to top runners. In addition, individual meals may be served to honor age group winners.

So now that they’ve hit 50,000 in four years, where is CKWL headed next? Sproul says, if they keep up the pace, CKWL will hit 100,000 in the next two and a half years.

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