Lincoln County Republicans held a grand opening for their new headquarters in Damariscotta.

“In addition to the serious message we had to offer, there were free hamburgers and hot dogs, music supplied by a DJ, a bake sale with home-made treats, a raffle, a silent auction, a car wash, and Pin the Tail on the Donkey for kids of all ages,” Lincoln County Republican Committee chair Earl Inman said.

Perhaps the highlight of the day was the car that came in with an Obama bumper sticker on it, had a car wash and then made a donation to the Lincoln County Republican Committee, Inman said. “I see that as a sign that we'll see more Democrats crossing party lines to vote for Republican candidates. We may even see Democrats for Romney. This president, in particular, has taken the Democrat Party in a direction that is far from its roots.”

Attending the event were a number of candidates for state office, including Les Fossel, candidate for Senate District 20, Ellen Winchenbach, for House District 50, Alan “Buzz” Pinkham, for House District 51, and Ray Soule, for House District 53.

“We had a great group of volunteers and contributor,” Inman said. “If I miss someone I apologize. Jessica Schneckloth spent endless hours putting the headquarters together and acting as the catalyst for the event itself. Her husband Rob operated the grill and oversaw the car wash. Adrian Lopez and Cody Dillon provided the muscle to wash the cars. Katie Winchenbach provided the music and coordinated the bake sale, which included baked goods from many people. Others were there during the event pitching in or providing supplies. They included Sue Renelt, Gerry Hungerford, Joyce Parmalee, Donald Kelley, Stuart Smith, and Christiana Poole. Others brought salads. 

The silent auction included a kayak from Sue and Parker Renelt and a scenic airplane flight over Lincoln County from John Harris. John also displayed one of his antique cars. Note that there is still time to participate in the silent auction. Just stop in at the headquarters.

Jessica Schneckloth and George Greene solicited gifts for the raffle from a number of local merchants including The Yellowfront Grocery, Shaws (Wiscasset), Big Al's, Ames True Value Hardware, Wiscasset Glass and Grover Auto & Tire.

The headquarters is on Business Route 1 in Damariscotta, across from Romeo's Pizza and down the road from Hannaford. It's open Monday through Wednesday, from noon to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday from noon to 4:30 p.m. and open Saturday as much as possible. “We rely on volunteers to staff our headquarters, so let us know if you are interested,” Inman said. The phone number is 1 800 380-6831. You can email Inman at lcrcchair@zoho.com.

The next meeting of the Lincoln County Republican Committee will be Wednesday, Sept. 12, at the American Legion on Jefferson Street in Waldoboro. Drive around to the back and enter the lower level.