Viewfinder: Seafood Fest A Success

Seven-year-old Catherine Kraack of Lithia wanted nothing to do with the children's fare of hamburgers and hotdogs at the first Lobstah' Fest.

She had her eyes on a giant lobster complete with all the trimmings.

"She loves lobster," said her 14-year-old sister, Lillie. "So do I."

Kelley Palenius and Susan Harvey had been looking forward to a lobster dinner all week. They weren't disappointed.

"It's great," said Palenius as Harvey cracked open an oversized claw.

Members of the South Brandon Rotary Club, which sponsored the festival Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Winthrop Pole Barn, worked nonstop serving up lobster, butter, corn, cole slaw and potato salad to hordes of hunger seafood lovers.

"It's going great," said Tonya Walsh of Walsh Commercial Cleaning, who did double duty serving lobster dinners and selling raffle tickets. "We've been very busy."

Club president, Kathy Collins, was pleased with the turnout at the first-time fundraiser. She said the club hopes to make it an annual event, noting that all funds raised go to nonprofit groups in the community.

As diners dug into their lobsters, Otis Velt and the Old School Band, a popular Tampa Bay party band, performed hits from the '50s to the '80s.

In addition, the was face painting, balloon creations and bounce houses for the kids and craft booths for the adults to peruse.