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The warm spring day and an open campus policy encouraged students to stream outside for something to eat.
More than 900 of those students — more than half of the student body — headed a block south to First Christian Church of North Kansas City, 2018 N. Gentry St.
Inside, as has been the tradition on Wednesdays for more than three years, 27 volunteers enthusiastically handed out free hot dogs, bags of chips and soft drinks. By the end of the school’s four lunch periods two hours later, 980 hot dogs had been served.
The hot dog ministry has become the church’s largest program.
“It’s nice that they care for us and it just gets expensive to go places,” said Jennifer Carney, 16, a junior.
Church member Joyce Kenslow came up with the idea as a way to welcome the poor and homeless, as well as the students, into the church. That’s still the ministry’s intention, although students dominate the lunch.
“Everybody needs a place,” said Dennis Kenslow, who joined First Christian in 1968 with his wife, Joyce Kenslow, who died in 2005.
About 40 people showed up for the first lunch in September 2004. But by the end of that year, the numbers had grown to hundreds each Wednesday, outstripping the generosity of the anonymous donor who offered to pay for the lunches.
The church, with about 250 active members, decided it would take on the cost for the all-you-can-eat lunches — now about $19,000 a year.
This Wednesday was special because the church reached a milestone: The 100,000th hot dog was served to junior Patrick Huntington, 17, who also received a basket filled with $150 worth of goodies donated by North Kansas City businesses.
First Christian’s pastor, the Rev. Matt Broxterman, doesn’t preach to the students as they eat, although he hopes they are learning that a place of worship can be a place to go in difficult times. He said many students had sought help over the years.
“We want them to know that it is a safe place,” he said. “High school is a tough place in life; the church is a safe place.
“What’s really cool is you actually see kids running down the street. To see kids running into a church is really exciting.”
First Christian also has become a place to learn manners. Clara Long makes sure of that.
Long, 88, is the first volunteer the students meet in the food line in the church’s fellowship hall. She hands out the foiled-wrapped hot dogs.
Long has two rules: Boys and men must remove their hats while in the church. And everyone says “thank you” before they get their hot dog.
“I love Clara,” said Carrie Dunlap, 18. “She makes you say thank you. I learned from her.”
Dunlap is one of several North Kansas City High graduates who still come to lunch on Wednesdays.
“I don’t know what I would have to look forward to on Wednesdays if they didn’t have it,” said Robin Howery, 19, who graduated with Dunlap last year.
The volunteers, mostly retired people, get a lot from the experience, too.
They wear T-shirts and sweatshirts in North Kansas City High’s purple and gold. The shirts show the school mascot, a hornet, holding a hot dog, and they have the slogan “Serving Our Lord One Hotdog at a Time!”
“It’s interesting to talk to the students and see them go through school,” said volunteer Betty Sue Cliff.
She heard about the ministry three years ago.
“I said, ‘They do what on Wednesdays?’ ” she said with a smile. “Then I came and I was hooked.”
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