Family Fun Day Lobster Bake | August 4, 2024

A dedicated crew of volunteers, organized by Julie Tenan, came together during driving morning rains to assemble all the elements necessary to host another successful LCDC Family Fun Day Lobster Bake at Waldoboro’s Cider Hill Farm. After the morning rains subsided, the crew hustled to raise and stake pop-up canopies, clean and cover tables, and stake the parking areas just in time for “Old Sol” and nearly 170 guests to arrive for our social hour. Oysters donated from Pemaquid Oyster Co. and Glidden Point were gobbled up while attendees mixed and mingled listening to No Spring Chickens.

The program kicked off with a rousing call-to-action from Cong. Richard Neal (CD-1, MA), a member of the Harris Election Campaign. He addressed the issue of immigration by sharing that his grandparents were immigrants and closed his speech by noting that Mr. Trump won’t have to worry about pronouncing Vice President Kamala Harris’s name correctly on January 20. Because by then, she’ll be “Madame President.”

The group enjoyed lobster, hot dog, or vegan burgers prepared by the crew of Jeff Hurd’s Narrows Tavern with many commenting on the tenderness of the corn – supplied by Beth’s Farm Market in Warren. Waldoboro’s Emily Trask-Eaton and her grandsons JT and Patrick McCusker served delicious watermelon and delivered a special piece of ‘birthday watermelon’ to LCDC Chair Kelli Whitlock Burton.

After the meal and raffle drawings, guests heard from Assistant House Majority Leader Kristen Cloutier (HD 94) and Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli (SD 24) who introduced legislative candidates. The program closed with Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey. The speakers provided brief comments about the coming campaign, shared some successes of the past session and stressed the urgency of maintaining super-majorities in Augusta.

Unbounded gratitude goes out to the nearly forty individuals came together on the morning-of to help make the event run with smooth efficiency and, while there isn’t room to thank them all here, I feel the need to single out a few for special recognition:
-Jim Hatch and Finn Kelly, who helped with site preparation on the Friday before the event.
-Shari Sage and Finn Kelly, who directed parking.
-Ina Demers and Laurie Fitzpatrick for their flower arranging.
-Our registration crew: Jan John, Leanne Pander, and particularly Sally Hamilton, who created the reservation packets.
-The Oyster shuckers: Ole Amundsen, Mike Herz, Lucian Laurie, and Jim Hatch.
-Susan Bates, Tilney Wickersham, and Mike Pander for their raffle ticket-selling skills.
-Claire Sommer and Geoff Keochakian who seemed to be everywhere all at once.
-The Fundraising Initiatives Group for their assistance and guidance in planning and execution of this year’s bake .

And, of course, the many colleagues, neighbors, and friends of LCDC who so generously supported the event with their financial contributions and attendance. It was a marvelous afternoon!

Onward to November,

Geoff Bates
Fundraising Leader

P.S. Read the Lincoln County News article and see their photo coverage here