Langley Township will have a 2010 BC Summer Games legacy of prettier flowers and greener grass thanks to thousands of young athletes converging here in July.

As part of the food services for the Games, director June Clark and her crew have found boxes, cups, dishes and even cutlery that are compostable.

"I said when we started that it's going to be the cleanest, the greenest and the best of any of the Games," Clark said.

But the effort doesn't stop there. Food services has to feed Games participants breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And factor in special dietary restrictions for many participants, and serve it up out of doors at the lacrosse box at Langley Secondary School. It means dealing with countless details, such as ordering thousands of pounds of food necessary, storing it until it's needed and getting it served to hungry athletes.

"We're looking at probably 18,000 juice boxes just for lunches," she explained.

One lunch will need about 100 kilograms of meats, 7,000 slices of cheese, and about 3,500 buns. But this will be no cookie cutter operation. The food committee has decided to package up the box lunches for athletes so they can be personalized. Each person only puts on the sandwich what he or she wants so there will be less wasted food.

Chef Dwayne Botchar has also figured out how to streamline the cooking processes so fewer volunteers are needed.

Clark and her crew haven't forgotten about adding some fun into the recipe. There will be themed dinners.

"Thursday night we're having Christmas in July," she noted.

That means turkey and all the fixings as well as holiday carols and even Santa (maybe he'll be able to grant some of the athletes their wishes).

On Friday evening, the Games participants head to Italy for pasta night while Saturday features a country and western dinner with the visitors heading off afterwards for a barn dance.

Most of the participants will be headed home by Sunday but the volunteers will still be cooking up hot dogs and hamburgers for those who need a Sunday dinner.

As a Lions Club member, Clark is accustomed to helping others and cooking for others on a grand scale. So are many in her contingent. But this is different.

"This is probably 10 times bigger than anything we've ever done," she commented.

That's why Clark is quick to credit the many other volunteers with whom she's working.

She knew it was vital to build a food services committee that was stocked with experienced people and people willing to contribute time and a great deal of effort to their community.

"They are so good at what they do," she commented.

But there's room for more. Volunteers are still needed. Clark explained that people can contribute in their area of expertise and only as much time as they can spare for such tasks as food prep, cleaning, cooking, and serving.

They don't have to be at the games sun up to sun down for days on end.

"We're grateful for all of it," Clark said of the volunteer contributions.