Since the inception of the Auxiliary Food Service program, Auxiliarists qualified as AUXFS have been putting in tireless hours to help keep the Coast Guard personnel of Station Jones Beach well fed and ready for action. Today, three AUXFS members of Flotilla 014-13-09, East Rockaway, work weekly in the station's galley, Carole Ryder, Merle Robinson and Linda Law.
These three Auxiliarists prepare, cook and serve an average of 16 out of 60 meals a month, representing 26 percent of all of Station Jones Beach's meals. "We call ourselves the station moms, and we try to bring our shipmates restaurant quality home cookin'" said Ryder. With so many meals to prepare, the AUXFS members like to get creative and are always working to advance their culinary skills and offerings. "Whatever menu or ingredients they have, we try to put a twist on it. We don't want to just be the cafeteria lady" Ryder continued. Their menus range from home staples to the exotic, including lobster tails, Turkish inspired pizzas, and Korean BBQ filled calzone.
BMC Brandon Hines, OIC of Station Jones Beach, is particularly appreciative of the AUXFS' efforts. "Our Auxiliarist cooks are very special to us. Auxiliarists Ryder, Law and Robinson are the glue that holds us together. They devote countless hours preparing meals for the crew that could easily be on a 5 star menu, and they do it all with love in their hearts and smiles on their faces. We are all very proud to serve alongside them and grateful for their servant leadership".
Your table is ready...