When the interim director
of Main Street Bath, Mari Eosco, sent me an email that opened with, “I have an idea,” I was curious; when I read that she was hoping to bring back the Welcome
to Bath event that debuted in 2004, but had been dormant for seven years, I was interested; when she asked me to chair the event, I was
flattered, but I paused because I felt like I was too new to take on such a role. Later, when Mari told me that the Maine Maritime Museum had offered their premier space, Long Reach Hall, for the event, I was hooked.
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| The Mary E, a 1906 Bath-built ship, will be our Ambassador |
It’s no secret that I love Bath. If my name rings a bell, you probably know I wrote a novel set in this shipbuilding city in Maine. But not
everyone knows the story behind
Daughters
of Long Reach. To make that long story short, let me just say that the Maine
Maritime Museum is one of my favorite museums on the planet, and I have been to many,
including the Prado, the Louvre, the National Museum of American History, the
Art Institute of Chicago, and the Smithsonian. I have always loved visiting
museums, and I believe the Maine Maritime Museum is a rare gem. For me, it holds
a special allure because it connects me with my dad. When you enter the museum, one of the first exhibits you see has a ship’s engine and beside it there's a quote that begins "Hello, engine. I'm Jake Holman." (Steve McQueen's famous line in the motion picture
The Sand Pebbles, 1966). I love that exhibit because my dad was a machinist mate in the U.S. Navy during WWII, and his job was to keep the engine humming. Further down the hall there's a tugboat exhibit, and that reminds me of another chapter in my dad's life! Clearly my affinity for ships and boats convinced me to chair an event at Long Reach Hall. Looking back, it was the right decision. How could it be wrong to volunteer for a community you have come to love?
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| John Ater warms up the crowd with trivia and a sense of humor |
Well over one hundred guests walked through the doors of the Maine
Maritime Museum on February 5, 2018, and they were greeted by long-time
residents, city councilmen and Main Street Bath board
members. They also enjoyed the knee-slapping humor of John Ater, a local
comedian and house painter, who conducted a classic game of pub trivia while getting to know the participants. The questions ranged in difficulty from "What planet had the longest day?" to "What was the theme song to
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? And somehow John made all the answers, right or wrong, seem funny. Sometimes it takes a good comedian to build a strong community!
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| Pretty paper! Treasure Island Toys & Mustard Seed Books |
After breaking the ice and warming up the hall, John awarded a City of Bath sticker to table number two, and he told the nine winners to divide
that sticker equally. I’m not sure, but I think that line received the biggest laugh! Leave it to a comedian to highlight the obvious. The game
wasn’t about winning; rather, it was about getting to know each other. With
John's help, we accomplished that mission, and then the newcomers had
a chance to turn the table and ask, not answer, some questions. At first, a
hush came over the room. And then a new business owner mentioned their shop: “You know, there’s a sweet shop in town and Valentine’s Day is
coming!” And that started the flow of information, like "Be Bath, Buy Back," the MSB program to encourage shoppers to buy locally, was underway. If you make four purchases at four different participating businesses, you can enter your stamped card to win Gift of Bath Certificates worth 25 or 75 dollars. And many local businesses will wrap gifts for free!
Participation is contagious, so the crowd gradually found its voice, and the facts continued to flow: Tickets were on sale for MSB's next event, “Front Street Feud," and the Chocolate Church Arts Center would be putting on a fund-raising gala, “Mud
Boots and Black Tie,” in April. Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc. would
sponsor their annual Historic House Tour on June 16
th, but before that
there would be the city-wide garage sale in May, and then in a blink we jumped
into summer, and the new director for Bath’s
Heritage Days stood up and talked about that Fourth of July tradition. Finally, proving that Bath is always busy, the coordinator for Kindness
Day raised her hand and told us that planning had already begun for that unique celebration in August! On that cheerful note, the entire hall seemed to sigh
collectively.
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| The "Class of 2018" photo by Eric Wagner, a newcomer |
At the end of the night, Bath’s City Manager counted about 50 newcomers still socializing at the back of Long Reach Hall. They were all wearing
name tags that included the number of years (less than 5), months, or days that
they had lived in Bath. Along with a darling little baby, there
was a woman who was eleven-days-new to Bath, and a young couple who had moved to Bath only four months ago. There were single people
and engaged people, and happy retirees who all seemed ready to say hello and
share their stories. And thanks to two Bath residents, Aaron and Nate, the owners of Henry and Marty’s Restaurant and Flight Deck Brewing, respectively, everyone was feeling full of good food and good cheer when Eric Wagner shouted, “Smile!” and snapped the group's picture!
