[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 62 (Thursday, April 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    100TH ANNIVERSARY OF WACO DINER

  Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, in April of 1924, Nelson Watts and 
Ralph Colwell combined forces and syllables from their last names and 
opened the WaCo Diner in Eastport, ME. One hundred years later, the 
WaCo is still going strong as the oldest diner in the State of Maine, 
proudly serving great food and friendship in America's easternmost 
city.
  The WaCo began life as a lunch wagon converted from a traveling 
photographer's studio. With Eastport hosting more than a dozen sardine 
factories, a deepwater seaport, and visitors arriving by sea and rail 
to enjoy the very best of Maine's rocky coast, the new establishment 
thrived, the wheels were removed, and the wagon was boxed in to make a 
permanent structure.
  Under a succession of owners over the years, the WaCo has expanded 
from a narrow lunch counter to a lovely restaurant with a spacious 
dining room. From the outdoor deck overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay, 
patrons enjoy beautiful views of Canada's Campobello Island and a 
passing parade of marine activity, from cargo vessels, cruise ships, 
and fishing boats to whales, porpoises, and seals.
  The current owners, Mike Del Papa and Matt Boyle, bought the WaCo in 
2022, after Mike's dad Bob retired at the age of 83 after many years of 
operating and growing the business. Mike and Matt both brought 
restaurant operations, general business, and customer service 
experiences with them, and have invested significant money, time and 
energy into the equipment and facilities to enhance the atmosphere and 
efficiency, while continuing to offer amazing meals and a great 
customer experience, led by server Tammy McPhail, a 20-plus-year 
veteran, and chef Steve Sonner. In addition to providing good jobs 
year-round, the WaCo brings back summer staff each tourism season.
  The WaCo is a mainstay, not only in Eastport but also throughout the 
Downeast region, welcoming locals and visitors alike. Among the many 
themed evenings featuring special creations, a local favorite is the 
``Dry Fish Dinner--prepared Robert Patterson's Way,'' a tribute to the 
late, beloved owner/chef of the New Friendly Restaurant in the 
neighboring town of Perry.
  The WaCo is dedicated to supporting other Maine businesses. When 
possible, they source seafood locally. All draft beers are from Maine 
breweries, and potato chips are from Maine's Fox Family in Mapleton. 
Several recipes utilize Raye's Mustard, made in Eastport at the last 
remaining traditional stone-ground mustard in North America, while 
others use Wyman's wild Maine blueberries, harvested from the barrens 
of the surrounding countryside.
  In addition to dedication to excellence, the WaCo carries on another 
great tradition of our State's small business community: giving back. 
Last year, the WaCo served a free Thanksgiving dinner to more than 150 
people from the Downeast community and, at Christmastime, a free 
pancake breakfast with Santa for children. Through charitable events in 
2023, the WaCo and its customers raised more than $5,000 to support 
Sarah's House of Maine, a cancer hospitality house near the Lafayette 
Family Cancer Center in Brewer, saving rural patients and their 
families hours of travel for treatments.
  The WaCo Diner in Eastport is a shining example of the 
entrepreneurial spirit and community pride that define the State of 
Maine. I congratulate the entire WaCo team on this landmark anniversary 
and wish them much success in the years to come.

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