Up with People cast serves up hot meals

Young adults from nine nations chopped and seasoned food, served on the chow line, cleaned up and even provided a little music Thursday when Up with People cast members did a turn at the local free-lunch kitchen, Rebecca's Café.

"We try to do as much as we can for the community that we visit," said Arndt Saalfeldt, from Denmark. "So we try to incorporate all the helping hands we can to do stuff like we do here, to help people, to help prepare the meal. We do everything from gardening to painting."

Saalfeldt, a tall, bearded 23-year-old who looks as if he could lift heavy objects, was wearing an apron. He had helped prepare the food and was now ready to wash dishes. Earlier this week, he was one of the cast members who taught songs and melodies from various countries to children at Sallie Zetterower Elementary School.

Founded in 1965, Up with People provides people ages 17 to 29 opportunities to travel, perform on stage and learn about cultures and communities through service experiences and from host families. Cast members pay tuition and are referred to as students.

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