Lime Rickey and the new all-natural Lemon Lucy slush drink refresh Yarmouth Clam Festival attendees

[Yarmouth, Maine – July 20, 2019]  With soaring humidity and temperatures hitting the mid and upper-90’s, attendees of the 2019 Yarmouth Clam Festival are dealing with one of the hottest weekends on record. This 3-day event typically draws over 120,000 visitors to the town of Yarmouth, Maine, making it one of the most popular Summer-time events in Southern Maine.

Despite the heat, thousands of people are enjoying all that the Clam Fest has to offer, relying on two of the festival’s staple beverages to keep the fun going: The Lime Rickey, sold by the Downeasters Barbershop Chorus, and the new Lemon Lucy slush offered by the Yarmouth Lions Club.

So Happy Together: Lemon Lucy and Lime Ricky

In 2018, two members of the Yarmouth Lions Club, Larry Forcier and Aaron Wilson, had developed a recipe for a lemon slush drink using 100% all-natural ingredients. They worked out a way to mass-produce it for Clam Fest, but were not sure what to call it. Knowing that the Lime Rickey had became the “must have” item at the Clam Fest food court for decades, the Lions decided on the name Lemon Lucy, as a nod to the Ricky and Lucy characters from classic TV series “I Love Lucy” starring Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball (who were real-life husband and wife). “We know that the Lime Rickey is beloved at Clam Fest,” said Larry Forcier, “so introducing the Lemon Lucy as a companion, but completely unique beverage in that it is the only lemon slush drink at Clam Fest, made the name a perfect choice.”

The 2018 Lemon Lucy pilot was a success, so Larry and Aaron figured out a way to ramp up Lemon Lucy production for the 2019 Clam Fest, without compromising freshness or quality. The only thing that was left to do was to get the word out.

Lions Club member Jim Albright, took to the streets (literally and digitally) with a multi-channel marketing campaign designed to not only inform would-be Lemon Lucy fans about the new slush drink, but also build awareness that 100% of all proceeds from Lemon Lucy sales go directly back into the community. The Lions Club is the only food vendor at Clam festival who donates all of their Clam Fest profits to supporting local nonprofits and service organizations.

Clam Fest Reactions to Lemon Lucy Slush

The Lemon Lucy promotion videos that Jim had produced have stacked over 1 million views on social media, and given the hot weather, local media outlets are reporting that Clam Festival visitors can cool off with both Lime Rickey AND Lemon Lucy. As of this writing, thousands of Lemon Lucy slush drinks have been purchased, already beating 2018 sales. This means that thousands of dollars will be donated to local service groups to help those in need.

Learn more about the Yarmouth Lions Club Lemon Lucy slush drink at www.yarmouthlionsclub.org/lemonlucy.

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Yarmouth Lions Thank Town for Record Number of Eyeglasses Donations

The Notes – January 28, 2019

The Yarmouth Lions Club wishes to thank the many people in and around Yarmouth, Maine who have donated their used eyeglasses, lenses, and eyeglass cases to the Lions Clubs International Recycle for Sight program in 2018.  Lions Club member, Doug Carney, has been faithfully shepherding this the Club’s eyeglasses recycling program in Yarmouth, and reports that the Club had collected 1,512 eyeglasses over the last year – an amazing 77% increase over 2017!

All donated eyeglasses are collected, then processed by the regional Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center to then be distributed to people in developing countries where they have the greatest need.

A special thank you also to the five Yarmouth businesses below that currently host the eyeglass collection boxes:
• Hannaford Supermarket (Pharmacy Counter): 756 US Rt. 1
• Maine Optometry PA (Front Entrance): 407 US Rt 1, Freeport
• Merrill Memorial Library (Front Entrance): 215 Main Street
• Yarmouth Recycling & Transfer Station (Book Shed): 659 East Main Street
• Bayview Dental Associates (Front Entrance): 247 Portland Street

The Lions would greatly appreciate the continued participation and support from the community for this very worthy cause.  To learn more, visit the Lions Vision program page, or contact Doug Carney at 846-0863 for more information.

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Lions December Programs Raised Over $19,000 for Local Heating Assistance Service, Student Scholarships, and Families in Need

For 30-plus members of the Yarmouth, Maine Lions Club, December is the busiest months on the club calendar featuring several service activities, raising funds for local community support, and bringing joy to countless children in the area.

Starting Thanksgiving weekend with the arrival of 350 Maine-grown balsam fir trees, club members unload and sort trees according to size for sale with all proceeds going to scholarship for area students. In the 20-plus years of selling trees for scholarships, over $80,000 has been awarded. Students are selected based on school recommendations which are, in turn, based on need, academics and extra-curricular activities. The program is well advertised and this year, as in most years, every tree sold out in the first three weekends of December raising over $6,700 in scholarship funds. Lions, as well as some family members, set up and took down tree stands, sold and as necessary, delivered trees. Click to learn more about the Trees for Tuition program.

More recently the club began to sell wreaths alongside the trees with the distinction that wreath sales are used exclusively to benefit the town’s fuel fund for those needing assistance. The Wreaths for Fuel program, under the sponsorship of Yarmouth Community Services, has become increasingly necessary as Maine has recently seen harsher winters, higher fuel prices and more people needing fuel. In December 2017, club members sold 115 wreaths netting over $2,000 to support Yarmouth’s fuel assistance fund bringing total club donations over a 10-year period to about $20,000.

While wreaths and trees are being sold at the village green, another tradition almost as old as the club itself, takes place each December in the same area. For two hours on Saturday afternoons, Santa Claus ably assisted by an elf or Mrs. Claus sits in Santa’s Chalet greeting an endless line of families who pose with their children for photos. Before the children leave Santa, cookies and goodwill go with them. In the 30-plus years of this activity, veteran club members estimate that over 6,000 children have chatted with Santa in his chalet which magically appears on the village green the first weekend in December. The structure currently serving as Santa’s greeting house was built and maintained by club members while cookies are provided at cost by a local bakery.

Probably, the centerpiece of Yarmouth Lion’s December activities, is the club’s Adopt-a-Family program which began 16 years ago and gains momentum with each passing year. In the Lion’s tradition of service, a few members of the club initially received names from Yarmouth Community Services of a small number of families who were experiencing financial difficulties. The club budgeted a modest amount of monies and members donated out-of-pocket to meet the program’s needs. As the need for assistance increased, so did the club’s support and involvement. In 2017, 14 local businesses donated over $2,000 in gift certificates. The club also budgeted $1,000 to the program. This year, several enthusiastic and generous members shopped, wrapped and delivered gifts to the families and nursing homes. In total, a record number of families (12) with a record of children (26), as well as 22 indigent residents of local nursing homes, received over $7,500, in gifts and gift cards. Cumulatively, thanks to Lions and friends, over $75,000 in merchandise and gift certificates have been donated in just the past 10 years.

Although it would be difficult to single out the reason(s) for the success of Yarmouth Lions December efforts, strong publicity through the local paper, signs and word of mouth indicating where the proceeds from these activities were going, have led to continued success and steady membership in the club.

“Seeing people and merchants open their hearts and wallets to help those less fortunate, the willingness of volunteers to do what they do, and seeing the benefits of their efforts, make me proud to be a Lion.” – Sandy Bowie, President, Yarmouth Lions Club

Each December, the Yarmouth Lions Club sells Christmas trees to raise money for scholarships, and wreaths for heating assistance, while hosting Santa for the hundreds of Yarmouth kids to visit and share their Christmas wish.

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