Hundreds dine at Elks senior supper

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
CHRISTMAS SERENADE — Paul LaPointe’s live trumpet provided dinner music for the annual senior citizen event at the Houlton Lodge of Elks.
By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The aromas of a complete home cooked turkey dinner wafted up and down Main St. last Sunday to greet hundreds of senior citizens who were welcomed by smiling members of the Houlton Lodge of Elks.  Decked out with Santa hats, David Hill and Shane Gallop greeted guests. Hill extended his arm to assist visitors up the steep stairway leading into the building. Gallop held the door open. “It’s been steady,” said Hill referring to the number of visitors coming and going to the dinner.
    Once inside, David Edgar and his wife, Arlene, were busy checking and returning coats while making visitors feel at home. As if that were not enough, Paul LaPointe accompanied pre-recorded Christmas music on his trumpet. “Paul plays here every year and he does a wonderful job. We are very fortunate to have him with us and people like his music,” said Brian McGuire, exalted ruler of the Houlton Lodge of Elks.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
GRAVY MASTER — Patty Hersey watches as Mike Fogarty puts the final touches on a turkey dinner. John Dunn is seen behind Fogarty.
    “We have greeters. We have someone to help you up the stairs, someone to open the doors, people to take your coat. You go in. We sit you down and get you your food and your dessert. We try to show the senior citizens some respect and kindness,” explained McGuire about the annual event.
    The event is a well-oiled machine that prepares as many as 600 to 800 dinners every year. McGuire stated that he expected the volunteers would be preparing a few more dinners to go this year. “We deliver to people in the community who can’t get out and we go as far as Monticello, Hodgdon, Littleton and the surrounding area. People have volunteered their vehicles and they are loading dinners in the back.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
THE NERVE CENTER — The kitchen is where the dinner comes together, thanks to first-class team work, high quality food and great cooks.
    The annual event is free to all seniors. “We have a lot of sponsors who donate food. The grocery stores are wonderful. And, everybody here donates their time. Nobody makes a profit off of it,” said McGuire standing in the lobby where children of three members were serving egg nog. Cassie Butler, 10, said the egg nog was a hit and most was gone by noon. “We’re doing pretty well. We started with 20 cartons of egg nog and we have five left.”
    McGuire said preparation had started Thursday evening and everyone pitches in to help at some point. “A lot of hands make easy work. Sean Conlogue and Blaine Lincoln take care of the food part of it and Mary Lowe takes care of the dining room part of it. They’ve been doing it for years and they get started with boiling 200 pounds of potatoes. They peel them and they make homemade stuffing for the turkeys from scratch. Everything is done from scratch.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
SMILES ALL AROUND — There were smiles everywhere you turned at the Elks dinner for senior citizens. From left, are David Hill, Brian McGuire, David Edgar and Shane Gallop who helped make guests feel welcome.
    The same warm greetings that welcomed visitors were turned around into friendly goodbyes as visitors left. Hill and Gallop bid farewell to Joe Skehan who was carrying a Styrofoam plate. Skehan said he’s been living in Houlton for 86 years. When asked if he enjoyed his meal he looked back with a big smile and  said: “I’ll find out when I get home. Thanks boys.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
GIRL POWER — Egg nog was popular with guests at the Elks dinner as served by, from left, Anessa Wilde, 10, Kalie Bither, 6 and Cassie Butler, 10. All three are from Houlton.