ATHOL — The excitement of the Red Sox season opener extended all the way to Tool Town on Thursday, as municipal employees enjoyed a “picnic” to benefit their local “field of dreams.”
Administrative Assistant Bridget Sullivan, garbed in a bright red Red Sox jacket, said, “This was a ‘dress-down’ day. We hope to have more like it to help local charities.”
Employees from Town Hall, public works, fire and police departments, the library and Council on Aging, paid $5 for the privilege of dressing in jeans or other casual wear for the day — and also pitched in $5 toward the charity of the day. The money raised was donated to the Chuck Stone Little League to help with the cost of repairing its field, which was flooded and damaged during an ice jam ibn the winter.
The meal featured Fenway Franks, hamburgers, veggie burgers, fries, pasta salad, coleslaw, baked beans and garden salad. For dessert there were cookies and cream cupcakes and peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes, all provided by Town Hall employees.
To acknowledge Fenway Park’s opening day, many of the town employees wore their favorite Red Sox shirts or jackets. Even Police Chief Russell Kleber got in on the fun, sporting a bright-red Red Sox baseball shirt worn open over his uniform, smiling as he joked with Fire Chief John Duguay.
The event was originally scheduled to be outside in the break area adjacent to the L.S. Starrett parking lot. The day before, members of the Cemetery/Park/Tree Division cleared broken branches, brush and other debris from the area and made it suitable for use — a welcomed oasis from the pressing responsibilities inside Town Hall. However, Mother Nature must be a Yankees fan, as she tried unsuccessfully to put a damper on the festivities with 30-degree weather.
Town Hall employee Dennis Kimball, grillmaster for the day, bundled up in his winter jacket to flip burgers on the barbecue grill rolled out to the picnic area. Hungry folks ventured outside to check progress on dinner, but didn’t stay too long to chat in the blustery wind.
In Memorial Hall, a spread awaited the arrival of the burgers and dogs, and as the queue of nearly 30 town employees diminished, the tables filled and the hall hummed with lively conversation.
At one point during lunch, all eyes were directed to the small stage behind the food tables as Assistant Town Clerk Carol Bachelder presented special guest Lonnie Bonenfant, a member of the Chuck Stone Little League of Athol board of directors, a $253 check, generated by the event’s participants. In addition, the SEIU 888 union that represents Town Hall employees, as well as library and dispatch workers, donated another $100, which was presented by Town Clerk Nancy Burnham. Attendees applauded enthusiastically, then returned to their chow.