Volunteers Turn Out for 10th Annual Langosta Lounge Thanksgiving Dinner

Asbury Park

Volunteers Turn Out for 10th Annual Langosta Lounge Thanksgiving Dinner

Free Holiday Meal, Food, Toiletries and Warm Clothing Distributed

By Michelle Gladden

Most everyone rose early Thursday morning to begin or continue Thanksgiving Dinner preparations.

It was no different at Langosta Lounge, the oceanfront restaurant and bar, owned by Marilyn Schlossbach, where over 100 volunteers were lining up for duty.

The staff, sans Schlossbach, husband Scott Szegeski and brother Richard, were given the day off. They were replaced by the volunteers who traveled from as far as Sandwich, Mass., to serve those in need of a meal and community.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the free meal, winter clothing, and nonperishable food and toiletry distribution is held in conjunction with Pat Sherman, Director of F.E.E.D.ing Frenz [Fostering Empathy, Easing Despair].

“We began in 2006,” said Szegeski in between spurts of organizing volunteers and catching the behind the scenes holes. “I remember because we opened June 2006 on our wedding day and that year was the first Thanksgiving [Dinner] we did.”

Guests, many of whom were return visitors, at the head of queue, which wrapped around the waterfront eatery, said they got in line at 8 a.m. for the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. distribution.

The organized chaos was led by Sherman’s front of house organization. Sherman, who began distributing dinners to 100 to 200 guests at The Center’s warehouse some 20 years ago, was busy delegating dessert, drink and food stations, as well as the packaged dinners that would be delivered throughout the community.

“When I first started in the ‘90s we made the turkeys and the stuffing and we did everything and we were happy,” Sherman said. “It kept growing and growing as people heard about it.”

Sherman joined forces with Schlossbach when they launched in 20006. A contingent of her Monroe School District students joined her in the volunteering endeavor.

“These fellows go to Monroe High School and they traveled here today to help out,” she said of two high school students who are a part of the district’s Avid program. There were also a contingent of graduates that joined her as well as Gregory who joined his mom from Sandwich, Mass., for the event.

In the kitchen, when Schlossbach was not at the stove, she was weaving in and out of the walk-in as volunteers prepped the turkeys.

“This is the moment right now when the anxiety starts to go away,” she said moments before the doors opened. “We’ve developed this network or family that shows up every year even though it’s chaotic at times but you have this comfort in seeing them every year.”

The volunteers took on the roles of service staff, sous chefs, sandwich makers in AYPC, and oversaw the impromptu winter clothing distribution in Pop’s Garage, all owned by Schlossbach.

“We give everyone the day off, so there is no cleaning people or dishwashers,” she said. “To me, this is a sacred day. It’s about giving; it’s about taking, it’s not about spending, it’s not about commercialism. It’s about getting real with each other minus the technology.”

And after the doors closed, the owner of six venues from Rumson to Normandy Beach, spends her holiday meal at Clancy’s Tavern on Main Street.

“Thank God for Clancy’s because that’s our holiday dinner,” she said. “Every year after this, we go over to Clancy’s so I have to thank them for being open.”