KENNEBUNK – When Mornings in Paris owner Paul Humphrey heard about the struggles of Maine’s lobstermen and women, he decided to do something that would both raise awareness and raise funds.
Mornings in Paris owner Paul Humphrey, left, and manager John Nickulas, right, present a check to local lobsterman and Maine Lobstermen’s Association board member Chris Welch. Humphrey raised the money through sales of his specially blended Save Maine Lobstermen coffee. Courtesy photo
First, he created a custom coffee called Save Maine Lobstermen. Next, he marketed it to his growing customer base. And finally, he took the funds raised through the sales of the coffee and wrote a check to the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, which he recently presented to local association member Chris Welch.
“The lobstering industry is an integral part of our community and essential to support thousands of lobster fishing families across the state,” Humphrey said in a July 20 news release. “Equally important is what the industry does and has done for a long time to bring people to Maine. What would Maine be without locally caught lobsters? This is why we felt compelled to do what we can to raise awareness for the challenges the industry is facing.”
Humphrey said the company decided to focus on the lobstering industry a year ago as its annual fundraiser, donating $4 for every pound sold. Total donations exceeded $2,000.
“We developed and roasted a special coffee that we sold by the pound nationwide,” Humphrey said. “We managed to get on the Maine news and we’re featured on Maine Life, which shows the importance of this issue for us all.”
For his part, Welch said the support received by Humphrey and his customers meant even more than the check.
“Owning and operating a small business in Maine is difficult and most people don’t realize that each licensed lobsterman in Maine is, by law, a small business owner,” Welch said in an email. “Maine doesn’t have large, corporate-owned lobster boats. So it means a lot to us when other small business owners, like Paul, step up and offer to help us fight burdensome federal regulations that threaten to put all of us out of business.”
Welch, who also serves on the Maine Lobstermen’s Association board, said lobstermen still have a fight ahead.
“Lobstermen are proud of our long record of conservation,” Welch said, “and with the support of our friends and community members, we will have the financial resources we need not only to fight the unfair rules, but also to protect our lobstering heritage for generations to come.”
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