By Sentinel Staff
After a long Election Day in Greenwich, poll workers went home not just tired, but appreciated — and well-fed. The new program pairing polling locations with local restaurants brought community spirit, laughter, and a touch of fun to what is traditionally one of the longest and most demanding days of the year for local volunteers.
Registrar of Voters Fred DeCaro III, who organized the initiative with approval from Democratic Registrar Mary Hegarty, said the goal was simple: to celebrate the people who make democracy run smoothly. “We’re trying to remind people that poll workers are their friends and neighbors,” DeCaro said. “They’re there as volunteers, putting in a super-long day, and they deserve to be recognized.”
Participating restaurants included Constantino’s Pizza & Ice Cream, Planet Pizza, Little Pub, Garden Catering, The Makerie, and Corbo’s Deli, with Love You A Latte providing coffee and baked goods for early voting. “Everyone really appreciated the effort,” DeCaro said. “Even with a few lunchtime hiccups, the enthusiasm from our community partners was outstanding.” Dinner deliveries ran smoothly, and photos captured smiling poll workers posing with delivery drivers and “thank you” signs from local sponsors.
But this year’s program went beyond food. In an effort to lighten the mood and add personality to the day, DeCaro and his team introduced a playful ribbon program for poll workers’ badges. “In addition to the food donations, we also added a bunch of ribbons to help poll workers add some whimsy to an otherwise serious day,” he said. Workers could choose ribbons denoting their longevity or humorous tags like ‘Grandma,’ ‘Computer Geek,’ ‘Queen,’ ‘Princess,’ and ‘Rock Star.’ “Of course,” DeCaro added with a laugh, “we think they’re all Rock Stars.”
The new touches were designed to counterbalance the stress and formality of Election Day. “There’s always a lot of heat around elections,” DeCaro said, “but none of that should ever be directed at poll workers. They deserve appreciation.”
With smiling faces, shared meals, and a few good laughs, the initiative succeeded in doing just that — feeding both the body and spirit of local democracy.
