Healthy Lincoln County’s “Lulu the Lunch Wagon,” an innovative summer meals program, was chosen as the 2020 Coulombe Center for Health Improvement Innovation award.

Created in 2018, this award highlights non-profit community partner organizations who are doing innovative work and improving the lives of those living and working in Lincoln County. The goal is to further develop innovative programs that already exist locally.

“Lulu the Lunch Wagon” brings free, healthy summer lunches to children in their neighborhoods. Last summer, the lunch wagon visited three Waldoboro neighborhoods. The lunch wagon also made an appearance at back-to-school events in Damariscotta and Wiscasset.

“This program is an example of how a people come together to meet the needs of our communities in an innovative way,” said AnniPat McKenney, Manager of the Coulombe Center. “The kids look forward to Lulu’s visits to their neighborhoods and parents appreciate the support the program provides throughout the summer.”

Volunteer drivers and servers help make this program a success, said Kate Martin, director of Healthy Lincoln County.

“The Lincoln County Sherriff’s Department was one of the many volunteers that graciously delivered meals. They would turn on their lights as they came into the neighborhoods and the kids just loved that,’’ Martin said. “Volunteers continuously stepped up and helped make this program a success.”

In the true spirit of innovation, this year’s award was presented in a special program aired on Lincoln County Television and Boothbay Region TV due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, the event is set in a more formal location in Boothbay Harbor, with light refreshments and a featured guest speaker. The award’s show can be viewed online at: https://lctv.org/coulombe-innovation-award/

Nominations for the Innovation Award are made by the community. A panel of volunteers from the St. Andrews Community Committee, the Coulombe Center and the LincolnHealth Steering Committee review nominations and select an award winner. Self-nomination is not allowed.

The Innovation award winner receives $3,000 to use in future programming. Previous winners include: Sara Cawthorn and Megan Taft from Twin Village Food Bank; and Haley Bezon from Hearty Roots.