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Bath restaurants join together for Haiti relief |
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BATH — All of the major restaurants in downtown Bath have announced they will join together to raise money for earthquake relief in Haiti after the January 12 disaster that destroyed most of that nation's capital, Port au Prince. Restaurants around Maine have held or are planning to hold fundraisers in the wake of this disaster, but this may be the first time restaurants in a single town or city have gotten together to organize a Haiti fundraiser.
The fundraiser will take place TODAY, February 4, and the restaurants will donate 10% of their gross receipts to the Red Cross, as well as accept donations from customers.
Kristy Nygaard, owner of the Kennebec Tavern, initiated the idea of holding a city-wide restaurant fundraiser, saying “In 2005, we at the Kennebec Tavern held a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and while that was quite successful by our standards, we couldn't help wishing we could have done more. When this terrible disaster struck Haiti, it just seemed logical to bring it up to the restaurant group as a way of multiplying the impact we could have. We really hope everyone will come out to dine at their favorite restaurants next Thursday and help improve conditions in Haiti!”
Participating Bath restaurants in addition to the Kennebec Tavern include Admiral's Steak House, Beale St. Barbecue, Betty's Homestyle Cooking, Byrne's Irish Pub, JR Maxwell's, Mae's Cafe, Marnee's Cookies, RSU1 Culinary Arts Program, and Solo Bistro.
Said Ed Rogers, co-owner of JR Maxwell's on Front Street, “As soon as Kristy mentioned it, it just seemed absolutely obvious that we should do it. Four or five years ago we probably wouldn't have been able to get it together as a group to pull it off, but at this point, it was just obvious.”
Bath restaurants have a long tradition of supporting local charities. Restaurant entrepreneur and retired US Navy Master Chief Joe Byrnes, owner of Byrnes Irish Pub and the Admiral Steakhouse in Bath, has long promoted charitable activities related to members of the armed services in the area and school children. He pointed out that Bath has always been a generous town, and he noted that other restaurants such as lunch favorite the Starlight Café, have held monthly Saturday brunches in support of local charities for years. “It was a natural outgrowth of what we each do in our businesses individually,” said Byrnes.
Will Neilson, co-owner of Solo Bistro, pointed to the role of Main Street Bath. “About three or four years ago, two of the founding board members of Main Street Bath, Bill King and Jayne Palmer, brought together restaurants in Bath to talk about putting out a joint brochure about dining in Bath. From that grew other projects, which kept us talking together. Once there's a certain level of familiarity and trust, people are much more willing to collaborate, and it's really a lot easier to get things done.”
Michael Quigg, owner of Beale Street Barbecue on Water Street, pointed out that nationwide, restaurants are always among the first businesses to respond to humanitarian crises. Noted Quigg,“The National Restaurant Association is also organizing a fundraising campaign together with Share our Strength, but the group felt that many residents of the area have a personal involvement with the Red Cross one way or another. Bath is one of those great towns where people really have sense of place and a connection with their neighbors.”
Katie Winglass, owner of the well known Bath bakery and lunch spot, Mae's Café, who has been developing a promotion to involve the RSU1 schools with Bath restaurants, concurs: “Thanks to Main Street's push to get together, we've got some momentum and an ability to act in concert that most places probably don't, plus it's really kind of fun to work with people who know what you're dealing with, even if it's also your competitors. And in a situation like the tragedy in Haiti, our ability to work together will hopefully translate into a more positive impact on the problem than we could have achieved each on our own!”
Chimed in Marnee Robinson, proprietor of Marnee's Cookies on Elm Street - one of the few Bath food business to be mentioned on national TV - “the circumstances in Haiti are just heartbreaking, and working together here in Bath we are definitely going to do what we can, from the culinary arts students at the vocational school to the big downtown restaurants.”
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