FORT CARSON, Colo.-A new lunch option will soon be available to the Mountain Post community beginning Sept. 21.

The Ivy Patch at the Elkhorn Conference Center will be open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. with sandwiches, wraps, an all-you-can-eat salad bar, soup and a hot lunch daily special that includes an entrAfAe, vegetable and a starch item.

"The growing population at Fort Carson is an opportunity for us to provide this lunch service to the Soldiers, Families, civilians and contractors at Fort Carson," said Stephanie Camp, Elkhorn manager. This will be another venue for a healthy alternative to the food outlets already available on post, she said.

Soup and salad will cost $6.99; sandwiches and wraps are $3.99 and the daily hot special will cost $5.99. Soft drinks will be available, as well as canned specialty drinks or bottled water.

Lunch at the Ivy Patch can be a "grab and go" or diners can opt for a leisurely lunch in the newly decorated Pueblo Room. Tables and chairs are set up for a crowd of 50 people, with overflow dining space set up in the nearby Elkhorn Room. Diners will receive a punch card that entitles them to buy eight items and receive the ninth item in that menu category for free.

Sandwiches and wraps will be freshly premade, Camp said, so someone who wants sandwiches or wraps to go can be on the way in just minutes.

A large salad bar with dozens of items will be available for patrons who want the soup and salad. There will be at least two homemade soups available as well as fresh bread. Fruit and dessert items will also be on the salad bar.

The hot entrAfAe will vary daily, Camp said. The chef is still working on the menu but will include items such as lasagna or a beef dish. A wait staff will be on duty to deliver the daily special to the diner's table, to bus dishes and assist diners.

During the grand opening, all menu items will be priced at $4 each and soft drinks are free. There will be drawings for prizes every half hour.

The Elkhorn Conference Center is at 7300 Woodfill Road, near the Colorado Inn. The Ivy Patch at the Elkhorn is just inside the entrance on the east side of the building. Call 576-6646 for information.