FRIENDSHIP — Every July, the lobstermen and women gather in Friendship for the annual lobster boat races, and Chip Jahnke and his fellow committee members, Heidi Thibodeau, Amber Wotton, Robin Reed, Wax Brackett, Keith Simmons and a slew of community volunteers work tirelessly to raise money from donations, an outboard motor raffle, food and merchandise sales, the proceeds of which go to The Friendship Memorial Scholarship Fund.

This year, despite the torrential rain and rough seas, the community came out and rallied. Expectations were low as the morning dawned and the rain came down in buckets. The crews showed up and the races were a go.

At the end of the day, to the surprise and wonderment of many, it was an astounding success. According to Jahnke and Thibodeau, it was the most money ever raised by The Lobster Boat Race Committee, and as Phillip Pratt noted on Thursday, it was the largest check ever donated to The Scholarship Fund from the Race Committee.

It just goes to show you that when the going gets tough, the people of Friendship get going.