Vitality Fast Fresh Food

Debi Golembieski, a co-founder of Green Mother Goods, the must-visit Boone store on King Street that champions earth-friendly products to outfit your “green” lifetstyle, has now turned her attention your diet.

A diet based on an organically and locally produced menu served up through a window of a 24-foot truck soon to be showing up all around the High Country.

That’s the plan, anyway, although Golembieski is wrestling with the bureaucracy of food service rules and regulations to get her Vitality Fresh Fast Food truck rolling. Certainly tougher that opening Green Mother Goods with three other women five years ago – a brick and mortar startup with organic cotton clothing, natural toys and the works of local artists.

No, starting a vegetarian fast food service on wheels is almost a match for the energetic Golembieski, who is determined to have the refitted former uniform delivery truck open for business by March – with a menu from organically driven chef Scott Lamb and literally driven by her partner of 17 years, Sean Martin.

Her intentions are clear:

“My original vision,” said Golembieski, 39, “was a fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru. You see, when folks are on the go, that’s when they compromise their diets. Slow preparation of food is the healthiest way to eat, but that’s just not our reality these days. Where else can you get yummy, fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables with a delicious menu – fast?”

It won’t be from the Vitality Fresh Fast Food truck for at least another 30 days. The setbacks have involved outfitting the truck, meeting food service codes and, of course, financing.

“Every new business owner runs into something like this,” Golembieski said, “especially with food service. We’ve had a our share of setbacks just getting the truck ready, refinishing the floor, which is stainless steel to handle the temperature variations in Boone. And the hood installation for the exhaust and fan has leaked. It’s really a learning curve to understand the inside construction of the truck. We can handle the menu, but we have to get the truck up to code for state and county regulations. We’re trying to keep most of the money for the menu.”

She’s been trying to raise cash through donations, and they just finished a weekend of charity concerts and silent auctions. Their Kickstarter campaign ( http://kck.st/UI87lm) is nearing its goal of $4,000, but Golembieski hopes to exceed it by several thousand dollars to better cover expenses, permits and food. The campaign is set to expire at 7:40 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7.

You can check out Golembieski’s interesting menu and consider contributing to the launch by visiting http://www.vitalityfast.com/Our-Menu.php.

Golembieski, who happily notes she hasn’t had a hamburger in almost 30 years, is determined to bring her fast-food diet alternative to you from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and Saturday, with a brunch on Sunday.

“We’d like to have it operational by March,” said Golembieski, an Appalachian State University graduate. “Initially, the truck will be in the parking lot next to Green Mother Goods, then at the malls and public events, hopefully at farmers’ markets this spring and summer. And we hope to cater, too.”

How about at ASU events?

“I’d love to,” she said. “But now that I know about the bureaucracies of food service, I’ll be cautious. I don’t know the rules of the game for being on campus. But I’m learning the rules of the game for food service.”