Members of the Shawville Lions Club dished up an East Coast-inspired community feast on Saturday night at the club’s annual lobster supper.
Residents of Shawville and Clarendon, cottagers from Norway Bay, and Pontiac residents from further afield gathered at Shawville’s Agricultural Hall for a sunny evening of food, drink and lively conversation.
Some folks drank beer, wine or cocktails at the bar, while others drifted from one table to another, chatting and cracking jokes.
At 6 p.m. Lions member Eric Smith announced dinner was served, and diners promptly queued up at the table to each get their 1.5 pound P. E. I. lobster — and, naturally, a Dixie cup full of butter for dipping.
Lions members also doled out generous dollops of coleslaw and potato salad to complete the plates.
When everyone returned to their seats, the roar of lively conversation briefly gave way to the distinct cracking and smacking of . . .
lobster shells. Each table was equipped with a package of wet wipes, and a large plastic bin awaited the freshly cleaned carcasses.
“We sold 180 tickets,” Smith said, proud to report the event was sold out. About half of the tickets were for dine-in meals, and the other half for take-out.
Smith said the Lions started offering the take-out option during the pandemic, and kept it going because people enjoy being able to eat the lobsters at home.
He said this year they got an order for 14 lobster suppers from someone who was hosting a lobster party at their house.
Smith enjoys having everyone together for a meal just like in the pre-pandemic days, but he said the take-out orders make clean-up a lot easier.
When the final lobster shell was thrown aside, diners had a final course of cake and coffee before filtering out the door back into the sunny Shawville evening.
Smith said the money raised at this event every year goes to community groups such as McDowell Home and School, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, as well as individuals in the community who are in need.
“All the money we raise goes to help people in our community,” he said.
This year, the event raised over $5,000, money Smith said the club will be donate to the Shawville Recreation Association.
