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| Lauren Welch and Olivia McCray of the Kittery Recreation Department's Adventure Program helped serve at the department’s Senior Lobster Luncheon held on Thursday, July 26. (courtesy photo) |
KITTERY –
Nearly 100 Kittery area seniors armed themselves with bibs
and crackers to enjoy the 10th Annual Kittery Recreation Senior Lobster
Luncheon. Although rain threatened in the morning, Mother Nature
prevailed, providing weather suitable to chow down. Held outdoors at Frisbee
Common, which is the Kittery Rec Department and the Kittery Community Center’s
new home, the luncheon turned out to be a great opportunity to share
friendships and enjoy a wonderful lobster lunch.
An annual event that offers the area’s seniors a chance to
eat a generous portion of lobster or chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad,
clam chowder, and strawberry shortcake, the Lobster Luncheon is enjoyed by all
who attend.
One portion of the event that continues to evolve and
flourish is the relationship between the seniors and the participants in the
Kittery Recreation Department’s Adolescent Adventure Program.
Thirty-one youngsters, in grades 5 through 8, served as
waitstaff for the lobsterfest.
“Some of the kids came in with aprons, others were dressed
in black, like they worked in a restaurant,” said Jeremy Paul, assistant
director of Kittery Recreation Department. “They really got into it this year.”
The kids have helped out for nine of the ten years the
department has been hosting the luncheon. They serve the seniors drinks and
chowder and don’t stop until the last cup of strawberry shortcake is
finished.
“The first year, we tried to do it with our staff of four or
five, but we were overwhelmed,” Paul said.
What once began as a meal for seniors has truly turned into
an intergenerational afternoon of friendship.
The success of the event would not be possible without the
extreme generosity of several local businesses who donated lobsters and
more.
The following businesses all made donations for this
community building event:
Greenhead Lobster Company, Island Seafood, Chrissy D.
Lobster Company, Seaview Lobster, Taylor Lobster, Marshall Rental Center, and P
Gagnon and Son. Weathervane Seafoods donated all of the chowder, corn on the
cob, chicken, bibs, crackers, and more.
