Gordon leaves community kitchen board after 25 years

After 25 years serving the community, Tina Gordon is moving on from her position on the Columbia Falls Community Kitchen Board of Directors.

Gordon, who retired from position as Columbia Falls City Court Judge after 30 years in 2017, says that health issues and the desire to spend more time with her husband, Franklin Lundstrom, led to her decision to step aside from the Community Kitchen.

“I am getting older and now that I am retired, we are on the road a lot traveling. I have also not been feeling too well and I felt like I was having a hard time fulfilling my responsibilities,” she said.” It’s embarrassing to have to keep asking someone to do my duties for me, so I decided it was time to let some younger people come onboard.”

Gordon joined the organization, which provides meals every month in the basement of St. Richard’s Catholic Church, after a friend talked her into attending a board meeting and says a lot has changed over the years.

“We used to serve a lot more people than we do now, because we got a lot more people from up in the Canyon. Now, they have a monthly dinner in Hungry Horse and they don’t have to come all the way to Columbia Falls. That’s great, especially when the weather gets bad in the winter,” she said. “We used to get a lot of food donations from Glacier Grocery, back when it was in business. We also used to get a lot of food from the food banks in Whitefish and Columbia Falls, but that has changed over the years. Now we get more monetary donations than food.”

Despite the changes, Gordon says the organization is still going strong and will continue to serve the community.

“It’s a really worthwhile thing and it really helps others. Everyone has some need. Senior citizens don’t like to eat alone and they can come share a meal with others. There are college students who just don’t have the money they need,” Gordon said. “It was designed for people who were struggling to stretch their social security checks out to last the entire month, but we are just there to help people, all people. It’s not just about the food, it’s about socializing and being around others, too. It good not only for the people who need a meal, but also for those who are serving the meal.”