Lobster With Vehicle

by Brenda Tredwell

Darlings Auto Mall photo

According to Kevin Tesseo, Vice President of Operations at Darling’s, “This year was the first year of the Lobster Promotion. During the promotion period buyers got 50 pounds of lobster with the purchase of a vehicle.”

“A little over 10 thousand pounds of lobster was given out,” figures Tesseo, adding,“But Darling’s always has supported the (fishing) industry, through things like the Lobster Boat Races.” Lobster was supplied by several downeast vendors, and customers were given gift cards.

Those prizes at the races certainly help out. Kit Johnson of Winter Harbor won his boat “Mr. Lucky” at his home port racing venue. Salt, bait, rope, boat hulls, marine and more have been donated by other businesses, such as Hamilton Marine and local boatyards.

At the 2014 Lobster Boat Races at Winter Harbor, the 2012 Chevy Silverado won by fisherman Shane Ferris of Jonesport was donated for a raffle prize by Darling’s Auto Group, Peter Mullen Fisheries, Lunt Fisheries, DC Air, Westmoreland Fisheries, R.E. Thomas Marine and Nautilus Fabrication. The bright red truck had 26,000 miles on it, and was valued at $ 20 K. What’s better than a new truck...but winning one. No loan payments, just a set of keys and sales tax. Racers names were drawn out of a hat - and they were not charged for those raffle tickets.

Darling’s recently bought out the Ellsworth-based Morrison Chevrolet, but kept Morrison’s employees on. David Keep, Darling’s used car sales manager and former Morrison employee remembers, “Morrison built big block Chevy engines. They had them in stock. A couple of 502 ‘s during boat racing season.” Keep said he salmon fished off Kenai, Alaska before returning home to Maine.

KevinTesseo stressed Darling’s community involvement – which includes an ice cream truck built and sponsored sponsored by Darling’s. “Ice Cream for a Cause” earned over $ 70 thousand for the United Way, Red Cross, and numerous other charities including literacy programs and more. (see www.darlings.com) He said they’ve always supported the same charities the fishing industry supports.