By Andrew Macdonald
Held in June and serving as an official kick-off to summer, the 40th edition of the must-attend Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation annual lobster dinner raised over half a million dollars.
Sponsored by the construction outfits, Conrad Brothers and Ocean Contractors, the dinner guests had a choice of dining on two lobsters or a steak, and raised more than $517,000.
Conrad Bros is an original sponsor of the event which began in 1985. Today, second-generation contractor, Kim Conrad took part as honorary chair, co-hosting with retired stockbroker Denis Ryan, once part of the hit 1970s troupe, Ryan’s Fancy.
Ocean Contracting, where second-generation road builders John Flemming and brother Scott run the shop, also sponsor the lobster event, getting involved after last year’s acquisition of Conrad Bros.
“DGH Foundation’s annual lobster dinner and auction is a kick-off to summer and a long-standing community tradition that has supported innovation and exceptional care at DGH for 40 years. What started as a lobster boil in a gravel pit has now raised over $4 million to support priority equipment and technology for DGH,” says Stephen Harding, the tour de force CEO at Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation.
J & W Murphy Foundation generously matched all proceeds up to $150,000 for the fifth year in a row. That family made their money in the seafood business. The family also co-owns Fisherman’s Market, which provided the lobsters. Fisherman’s Market is located on the Bedford Highway, and is soon set to open a flagship fish retailer at Danny Chedrawe’s Richmond Yard apartment complex in Halifax Northend.
The diners of the lobster and steak offering saw 650 people dine under the tents at Eastern Passage’s Fisherman’s Cove. The lobster dinner sold 660 tickets for dine-in options at the tent at Fisherman’s Cove, and another 120 tickets were sold to folks who preferred drive-through options, taking the seafood dinners home.
The 40th edition served to raise funds “to purchase a fleet of new portable bedside ultrasounds that will help our clinicians make faster diagnoses – right at the patients’ bedside,” notes Harding.
The lobster fundraiser committee chair is Dave O’Connor, who runs the 29-year-old Glow The Event Store, formerly known as Glow Parties.
I spoke to O’Connor for this Macdonald Notebook story.
“We’re one of the only fundraising dinners around where you get two full-sized lobsters,” says O’Connor. “The lobsters come all from Fisherman’s Market, they are a great partner and great friend of Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation, all from Fisherman’s Market for sure.”
When it started in 1985, it was held in a gravel pit belonging to Conrad Brothers. Then it migrated for years to Dartmouth Sportsplex. To enhance the dining experience it is now held seaside on the shores of Halifax Harbour, near the Seaside FM broadcast house.
“When I came on the committee, we focused on revamping the dinner – what is next? To be a fundraiser and have some life to it, be fun and be the place to go, you have to add some fun elements. It’s a lobster dinner. What we did do, we said, ‘Let’s take it to a lobster community’, and at Fisherman’s Cove, there is nothing better. You get the sights and smells of a fishing community, which suits a lobster dinner,” O’Connor tells The Macdonald Notebook.
“We put it outside with heated tents, and with full flooring.”
O’Connor’s business, Glow The Event Store, provided the tents and infrastructure. “I am its president, and we are a business partner, in addition to chairing the fundraising committee and on its board of directors.”
He says it is incredible that the one-day event raised over half a million dollars. “The community really came together. Our sponsorship keeps growing, which is led by Ken Doucet. Ticket sales continue to increase, and our drive-through options continue to increase.”
“It’s always a fun event. You can come to the venue in different way, you can drive yourself, grab a cab, or if you really want that VIP harbour experience, we get on the the Harbour Queen, and that departs from Halifax’s Cable Wharf and we have a reception and entertainment on board, and 200 people arrive on the Dartmouth shores and we parade the crowd up with a bagpiper,” says O’Connor.
Musical entertainment this year came from the band, Merimac, which performs at event gatherings, and also specializes in weddings.
“As soon as you arrive, it is lively, and it has a good vibe for a good thing — Dartmouth General Hospital. Everyone is in a good mood. When you dine outside, it’s a great experience, it’s great lobster or steak, a lot of connections are made, and there is networking, people just having a good day.”
As for the Murphy Foundation, it did match its stated goal of $150,000 and donated that figure to Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation. The more I learn about the Murphy Foundation, I get more impressed with what they are doing with their Foundation. They have supported the lobster dinner for a long time,” O’Connor tells The Macdonald Notebook.
While the event raised over half a million, there are operating costs to hosting such an event. “But we are lucky in that way, there is a lot of in-kind sponsorships,” with companies donating supplies.
“We have security that is in-kind, we have a lot of infrastructure from my Glow The Event store, which is in-kind (the tents), and all the supplies we need to operate the event, all these companies have come to the table.”
In this story, I embed a graphic showcasing the companies that get behind the Dartmouth General event.
Entertainer Denis Ryan gave a speech at the lobster dinner, and while he is a gifted orator and humorous, he no longer belts out his Ryan’s Fancy tunes.
I asked O’Connor the secret success of the 40-year annual event. “It’s the cause, it’s the people. Dartmouth General Foundation has really come along. At one time, we never thought of Dartmouth General for a hospital; it was always on the Halifax side for many. But, you know what, now, it has some leading cutting-edge technology and it is expanding.”
A year ago, Dartmouth General became designated as a regional hospital, and there are leading doctors, including those from the Mayo Clinic.
Another reason for the successful four decades of the event is the volunteers, stresses O’Connor. Moving the venue to a fishing harbour adds “a lot of excitement” and has enhanced the event as a must-attend event in the city.
“Steve Harding has added a lot of spice to the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation. They are doing some good things, raising a lot of money, and with leading edge of technology. It’s incredible to see where that has evolved under Steve’s leadership,” stresses O’connor.
While the Nova Scotia Health Authority pays hospital staff, hospital foundations raise money to equip hospitals with healthcare equipment.
For another story on Dave O’Connor’s Globe The Event Store, see next article in this edition of The Macdonald Notebook. The company was formerly known as Glow Parties.
Sharon Davis-Murdoch and Dr. John Murdoch at the 40th Annual Lobster Dinner & Auction
Karen Johnson, Karen Flemming and Joanna Mills-Flemming.
Pavilion Sponsor Gastops for their support – enjoying the Harbour Experience on the way to the 40th Annual Lobster Dinner & Auction.
Denis Ryan and Kim Conrad, honorary co-chairs for the 40th annual Lobster Dinner & Auction that raised more than $517,000 for DGH.
Denis Ryan, left, Kim Conrad and Dave O’Connor at the 40th annual Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation’s Lobster dinner and auction.
Dave O’Connor was an organizer of the 40th annual Lobster Dinner and Auction which raised more than $500,000 for Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation.
Denis Ryan was the honorary co-chair of the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation’s 40th annual Lobster Dinner and Auction.
Contractor Kim Conrad was the honorary co-chair of Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation’s annual 40th Lobster Dinner and Auction.
Denis Ryan is sitting with Kim Conrad, left, and Dave O’Connor, organizers of the Lobster Dinner Fundraiser hosted by Dartmouth General Hospital. The group checked out the equipment that was purchased from the 2024 proceeds of the Lobster Dinner & Auction.
