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Shelton-Mason County Journal
New
chef in
charge
'Food snob'
takes over at
Maple Glen
kitchen
By NATALIE JOHNSON
There's a new chef in the
kitchen at Maple Glen Senior
Living in Shelton and he's on
a mission to provide consis-
tently high-quality food.
Steve Loyer started cook-
ing for his family when he was
12 and soon became the regu-
lar chef for family reunions
and other get-togethers.
In his 32 years at the Ab-
erdeen Police Department,
Loyer regularly cooked for
his coworkers.
'Tfe'd pick a theme like
Pacific Rim or Italian and
I'd come up with an entr6e -
we'd do a lot of barbecueing,"
he said.
When a fellow officer got
married, Loyer catered the
wedding, sparking a catering
business -- Grapeview Ca-
tering that he runs with
his wife.
But Loyer said his dream
was to run a kitchen in a
restaurant. When he started
as the chef at Maple Glen
two weeks ago, he called it a
dream come true.
"After I retired I got tired
of sitting at home. It's a
dream come true for me -
I've always wanted to have
my own restaurant or food
truck," he said.
While some people may
associate the food at assist-
ed living facilities with high
school or hospital cafeterias,
Loyer said that couldn't be
further from the truth.
"That's not what we are
here.., it's important that we
provide good quality food," he
said. "In our business, cus-
tomer service comes first."
Good quality food, in
Loyer's opinion, means real
mashed potatoes. While a di-
etician approves the menu,
Loyer does have control over
how the food is cooked, and
takes pride in his product.
"I'm really picky about food,
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Steve Loyer works hard as chef to put smiling faces:on the residents at Maple.
Glen Senior Living in Shelton.
:heese
one of the things I've changed. No
more instant mashed potatoes. I
don't like instant mashed pota-
toes," he said. '%'egetables were
being overcooked - now they're
being cooked properly so they're
green when they come out."
Loyer said something as simple
as not.burning toast is important.
"I've had nothing but smiling
faces since I got here," he said.
"They love it they like the
change."
Loyer knows Maple Glen resi-
dents are smiling because he sees
those smiles firsthand.
"It's called a walk out -- ar
every meal I ask how their meal
was, if there's something they
didn't like," he said.
While edible toast is the first
step, Loyer has grander plans of
having the best kitchen in the cor-
poration that owns Maple Glen.
"I've got a lot of work ahead
of me. There are some excellent
chefs in the corporation," he said.
p e
Squeeze and
Fall Festival
upcoming
] don't know who is working on that
stump near the driveway to the Bridge
Community Church, but they sure
have put in a lot of physical effort. I've
watched the progress for about three
weeks now and it looks like there is
still another week or more left. Some-
one has been using hand tools, digging
and cutting and sawing and whittling
on that thing, slowly removing it from
the ground. My hat
is off to this person
because they have
shown so much per-
sistence.
I can't believe that
September has come
and gone. Maybe it's
because it has been
MIKE such a sunny and
CALLAGHAN warm September
that I just thought it
was still August.
The LaJune Senior Lunch crew
continues to design ways to delight
our taste buds. On Oct. 5 they wilt be
serving up a baked ham wih baked
beans, coleslaw, corn bread and tapioca
pudding with whipped cream. Then
on Oct. 19 they will have meat loaf and
baked potato with a green salad and
apple crisp topped with whipped cream
-- talk about comfort food. All 50 and
over and their guests are welcome. The
meals are served at noon, but you are
encouraged to get there a little early
and enjoy a conversation or two.
Arlen Morris sent in this report
about the garden club and the upcom-
ing Apple Squeeze. For all of you out
there who have often found your love of
oysters and OysterFest and your crav-
ing for fresh cider and Apple Squeeze
compromised by both events happen-
ing the same weekend, you won't have
that dilemma this year. The Harstine
Island Garden Club's annual Apple
Squeeze and Fall Festival will take
place on the second Saturday of Octo-
ber instead of the traditional first Sat-
urday. While the Garden Club spon-
sors this event each fall, it is one of
those events that really belongs to the
whole island community in that every-
one turns out to pitch in, club member
or not. It started many years ago as a
small activity through which excess
apple crops from local orchards could
be shared. It has taken on a life of its
own, which has outlived the life of the
island orchards. The profits from the
event trickle down from the Garden
Club into projects, which improve and
help preserve our famous community
hall. They also go into other public is-
land garden projects, and school-based
horticultural programs. The club now
See Harstine on page B-2
City of Sh00:,lton unveils creation of 'Adopt-A-Park' program
By NATALIE JOHNSON
For years, citizens of
Shelton and Mason Coun-
ty could adopt a road or a
highway to help clean and
maintain.
On Monday, the Shelton
Metropolitan Park District
announced the creation, of ....
"It's good to have a strong
volunteer program such
as this so people have
community pride."
its new Adopt=A-Park pro--- the program Last year the City of
gram to allow citizens to should apply through the Shelton Commission cre-
take an active role in main- city's parks and recreation ated the Metropolitan Park
taining their parks as well. department. District to create more
"It's good to have a Existing volunteer op- steady funding for city
strong volunteer program portunities are available, parks.
such as this so people have Ziegler said. The three city commis-
community pride," said The parks district will sioners also serve as park
Mike Byrne, city commis- make sure volunteers have board members.
sioner and president of the proper safety training al- Ziegler said any services
, park board.
: ..... .lowing them to perform provided by citizens in the
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson Mark Ziegler, parks and any volunteer activities. Adopt-A-Park program
Through the Shelton Metropolitan Park District's new Adopt-A-Park recreation supervisor for The district prefers vol- would be in addition to
program, individuals or groups can volunteer to help maintain city the City of Shelton, said :unteers to commit to at those already done by city
parks like Brewer Park. - ......... ::!groups;:o:indiVidtals. in,i:!eSt':oneyear:ofserice. , staff.
Thursday, September 29, 2011 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page B-1