2010 Lobsterfest Draws Hundreds—

Covered In Butter And Busier Than Ever

By Kendra Bobowick

Rob Sibley steered the 10-pound lobster claws-first through crowds at the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company station on Riverside Road Saturday.

Around him were bright red, steaming lobsters crowded next to glowing ears of corn, potato salad, or a medium-rare steak as hundreds of residents grabbed a plate and settled in for dinner during the 2010 Lobsterfest and fire company fundraiser on June 11 and 12. Both nights featured dinner and live entertainment, and the annual sea of familiar faces enjoying the steamed or grilled surf and turf, cold drinks, and the sounds of a rock and roll band.

Emboldened by the festive atmosphere was firefighter Garrett Clark, who proposed to girlfriend Tasia Gaffney in front of friends and strangers — just one of many moments amid the swell of friends gathered for the weekend dinner.

Resident Joe Fonseca sat with friends sipping beer and enjoying his birthday that weekend.

Striding through the crush of diners waiting for a table was Rick Persico, a devoted Lobsterfest attendee who “comes every year,” he said. Crossing his path was young Amanda Brinkmann, carrying debris cleared from tables Saturday. She passed James Riddle and Jennifer Henion, who watched their delicious dinners grow as they held their plates before one server, then another.

Cradling the dark blue, writhing lobster like a baby, Mr Sibley showed it off to the children in the crowd as company Secretary Karin Halstead and Assistant Chief Anthony Capozziello watched him move through the firehouse.

Shuffling glowing red lobsters down an aluminum serving board to Rich Liska, who carried trays of lobster to the servers, were Jeff Thomas, Quinn Fontaine, and other firefighters making the preparations. Nearest Mr Liska and stacking the red hot tails and claws on the tray were Ryan Lasher and Robert Kokoski.

Flipping steaks were engineer George Lockwood, Jr, and first engineer Matt Dobson. Across the lot was firefighter John Will, with the most important job of all. He was watching the lobster pot, and its contents were boiling up to 100 lobsters at a time. With all the cooking and serving came dirty dishes and dish duty was handled deftly by firefighters Archie Paloian, Stephen Clark, and Liam Ferguson.

Mr Will guessed Saturday that the firehouse would serve more than 2,000 lobsters. They steamed roughly 800 on Friday night, and Saturday’s extended hours could make the difference. In a smaller, but similar pot over an open flame were hundreds of ears of corn stirred and served by Gus and Michelle Carlson.

Back in the dining hall — the fire station’s truck bays fitted with dozens of folding tables and hundreds of chairs — Jeff Steinebrey heaped corn on his plate when he moved through the serving line. Seated at a table for the 14th year in a row and with his lobster bib protecting his shirt, Rich Stein ate his share of dinner while the band Time and Again played “Wish It Would Rain.”

Enjoying one of her first tastes of lobster was Teagan Waaler, who was propped in a seat near the table with her father Nick.

Seeing a long cleanup ahead of them Saturday were servers Joyce Staueinger and Laurie Comerford glanced at the sea of residents pulling in their chairs for dinner and peered at the line of waiting to enter, which was still out the door.