Area residents interested in enjoying a good meal with a side offriendliness while contributing to a worthy cause will have thechance to do so this week at Brookhaven Elementary School.

Third graders from Betty Ann Williams’ and Tina Morgan’s classeskicked off the first of four days of Cool Kids Cafe Tuesday.

The students, with the assistance of parents and teachers, setup Cool Kids Cafe under tents in front of the school for the 11a.m. and 11:45 a.m. fund-raising lunches scheduled from Tuesdaythrough Friday.

The fifth annual event, which raises money for the Blair E.Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson, offers a unique educationalopportunity for students. It allows them to display their math andsocial skills by serving as waiters, waitresses, attendants,assistant cooks or a maitre d’ to the parents and other adultsdining at Cool Kids Cafe.

“It’s a good learning experience for them and it’s fun. They arereally excited about it,” Williams said about the event that grewfrom an idea for a fund-raising brunch.

Students will sell and serve hamburger plates, chicken sandwichplates and hot dog plates for $3 each, with chips and drinksincluded.

“We encourage people to come out and support Brookhaven Schoolsand Cool Kids Cafe and have a wonderful lunch with the coolest kidsin town,” Morgan said.

Seatings at the two scheduled lunches are limited and filling upquickly, so those wanting to participate need to call 833-3139 forreservations, Williams said.

“Last year, we served over 400 people and we’ve already had 250reservations this year,” Williams commented.

Food served with a smile is not the only task students haveplanned for the week. They also plan to sell crafts they have madethis year to customers.

“We have made all kinds of items to sell in our craft store,”Williams said about the crafts that will be sold in a tent locatedadjacent to Cool Kids Cafe.

The preparation for Cool Kids Cafe is just as important as theactually event, and the teachers are thankful for the enthusiasmand help from students and parents.

“The only way we can do it is with a lot of help,” saidWilliams.

She added that Cool Kids Cafe would not be possible without theassistance of two third grade assistants: Annie Tanner and EvaCupit.

Students, teachers and parents hope the hard work will pay offwith a huge donation to the children’s hospital.

They are very optimistic and looking forward to the four-dayevent, which should be accented by sunny, warm weather all week,said Williams.

If inclement weather does arise, teachers have prepared analternate plan to keep Cool Kids Cafe going through the week.