Students at Tri-Valley School didn’t just get served lunch last week — lunch itself showed up to serve them. A hot dog dished out chili while a hamburger greeted the line.

This was the first week of a new program to provide free, nutritional lunches to students in the Denali Borough. It began on a whimsical note but will continue to address a serious issue — food insecurity.

The hot dog was Tonglen Lake Lodge Executive Chef Jake McGlew, and the hamburger was Tonglen Lake Lodge General Manager Cali Best.

“I thought it was a blast,” said McGlew, who prepared the Iditarod Sled Dog Race Banquet in Nome this year. “The students were all very polite and full of thanks. Everyone’s been really positive, from students to staff.”

The costumes got the students’ attention, but it didn’t take long

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