5,000 plus words on the Crab Feast

Main course for a lot of diners today.

Sometimes the pictures tell a story. There wasn’t a whole lot said today at the event of profound political importance. It was simply an opportunity for residents of District 38A (and interested observers like myself) to eat a lot of good food and open their wallets at a live auction.

A view of the diners at the 2006 Crab Feast.

I took this photo about a half hour into the event. The place actually was teeming with folks by the time the auction started. It was funny, the last 3 items auctioned off were 3 bushels of steamed crabs that were left over. That’s not much considering the amount they started with.

Petitions for a referendum on early voting.

Of course, this petition drive was continued at the event. But I’m not sure it’s “The Governor’s petition” as much as it is an effort to overturn a purely partisan and ill-conceived act. The dirty little secret is that separate legislation has already made early voting de facto by making absentee ballots “shall issue” regardless of reason.

Delegate Page Elmore addresses the feast goers.

As I said at the start, there wasn’t much said at the event. Just two politicians spoke…Lowell Stoltzfus was simply the MC, and Page’s remarks were finished in less than 5 minutes, basically a thanks for coming out, eat hearty, and bid high at the live auction that was to commence after he spoke. By the way, the auctioneer was Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Lewis Riley. I think he also did Senator Stoltzfus’s picnic auction last fall.

If you have a yard in District 38A, this would look good in it.

So today wasn’t a big push for votes. If you wanted a yard sign, though, feel free to take one. According to Maryland law, yard signs are legal anytime on private property, but not in state highway right-of-way.

I didn’t catch all the high bids because of various conversations I had, but from what I had heard I’m thinking the live auction raised over $4,000 for the 27 items and lots up for bid. He actually had several interesting things, lots of golf packages, three different groups of Orioles tickets, and football tickets to the Redskins, Ravens, and University of Maryland Terps, among other items. Next year I’ll have to bring my checkbook if the house hunting I’m starting now has bore fruit.

And if you’re wondering, I’m not a crab eater. (I realize that might be sacrilege to the Eastern Shore, but I’m from the Western Shore – of Lake Erie.) But whoever made the pork for the sandwiches – mmmmm, was it good! And I ate just enough to tide me through dinner. Looking at those trays of crab, I figured folks were done for the day after all that.

So tomorrow I’ll hopefully get a calendar of events started so all the monoblogue readers can do their own meet and greet with the local and state politicians. It’s off to a slow start but I’m sure the ball will roll before too long.

Author: Michael

It's me from my laptop computer.