Mark your calendars as you won’t want to miss the 50th Cabin John Chicken and Crab Feast to be held Sept. 14 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the community center. Join your neighbors and bring your friends for the Cabin John Citizens Association’s largest community gathering and fundraiser.
The same crowd-pleasing menu of delicious grilled chicken, tasty steamed crabs and classic side dishes will be served. There also will be beer, wine, sodas and lemonade for sale. Your sweet tooth will be satisfied by items from the Whitman Girl Up Club bake sale. A new commemorative t-shirt, designed by CJ resident and Georgetown student Delaney Corcoran, will be available for $15.
Attendees will enjoy the sounds of the talented and generous Starlight Orchestra. The 12-piece jazz and swing band is now firmly part of the Crab Feast tradition as this will be their eighth year playing and singing for the crowd. Face painting and other kids activities will be offered if someone volunteers to organize them. Enjoy the food, fun, and camaraderie for $16 a ticket. Or save $2 by buying your ticket in advance from a block coordinator or ticket seller.
Proceeds support The Village News, mailed free to all CJ residents, as well as the Fourth of July celebration, holiday party, and other CJCA activities.
The crab feast is a success each year because of the 90-plus volunteers who pitch in. We need volunteers and not just the same wonderful Cabin Johners who have been stepping up for decades. The following 41 people and probably a few more that I missed, have been volunteering at the Crab Feast for at least the past 20 years: Clare and Phil Amoruso, Bramman Avery, Judith Bell, Kathleen and Tom Black, Diana Carter, Angela Coppola, Pete Couste, Helen Daniel, Janet and Walt Dence, Deb and Rick Duffy, Susan and John Gelb, Burr Gray, Greg and Robin Gurley, Linda Green, Meredith Griggs, Lynn Hopkins, Elaine & Gerry Hornauer, John Hughes, Lisa Landsman, Eric Libre, Heidi and Scott Lewis, Karen Melchar, Loraine Minor, Lori Rieckelman, Susan Roberts, Benno Schmidt, Stephanie Smart, Oona Steiglitz, Beverly Sullivan, Larry West, Barbara and Bruce Wilmarth and Mary Kay Young.
Just like you, many of these folks were/are working full-time, had/have children at home as well as other family obligations. Nevertheless, year in and year out they have made it a priority to give back to their community. But how much longer can we expect them to keep this beloved tradition and critical citizens association fundraiser going? We need new folks to sell tickets in advance, prepare the veggies, help the chefs, cook, set up, serve, and clean up.
Please sign on to volunteer by emailing cjcrabfeast@gmail.com. Allison and Patrick de Gravelles, the dynamic duo coordinating the feast for their fourth year, will get back in touch with ways you can help. They also can be reached by phone at 301-742-4762 (Allison) or 301-605-7267 (Patrick).
SSL HOURS OFFERED FOR CRAB FEAST VOLUNTEERS
In addition to the dozens of adult volunteers, we welcome middle and high school students looking to earn SSL hours supporting this event. On Friday afternoon, Sept. 1-3, SSL volunteers will help prepare vegetables for cooking Saturday morning. Saturday’s SSL volunteers will help set up, keep the tables cleared, work the lemonade stand, fetch and carry and clean up. Plan to work a 2 to 4 hours between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm on Saturday, Sept. 14, the day of the event. If interested, contact Stephanie Lai, laifamily2002@gmail.com.
By Susan Shipp
CJCA President