Restaurant owner and family provide lunches for front line workers

Guacamole’s owner Kevin Joseph with a staff member from Northern Light Inland Hospital. (contributed photo)

Guacamole’s owner serves up burrito lunches to healthcare professionals

by Roland D. Hallee

Kevin Joseph, owner of Guacamole’s and You Know Whose Pub, in Waterville.

Ever the community-conscious entrepreneur, Kevin Joseph, owner of Guacamole’s Mexican sandwich shop on Main St., and You Know Whose Pub, at East Concourse, both in downtown Waterville, has been providing free burrito sandwiches to local front-line health care providers over the past several weeks.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week, Joseph visits a healthcare facility in the area and delivers free lunches. He will continue to do it until the funds run out.

The brain child of Kevin’s family, he began to provide the service on May 26 with a visit to Inland Hospital, in Waterville, where he provided the sandwiches to staff workers.

Kevin’s family provided the seed money to begin the deliveries. “It was a way for us to say thank you to all the hard work these professionals do for us on a daily basis,” said Joseph. “It’s a fantastic feeling to see how much they appreciated us bringing them lunch.”

Joseph was quick to note that his family donated the money, telling him to use it any way he saw fit. He decided to use it to thank the “front line” workers in the community.

Kevin Joseph with a staff member from Lakewood Manor in Waterville. (contributed photo)

His next stop was to Lakewood Manor, long-term nursing facility, and plans to follow up with a visit to MaineGeneral Medical Center.

He plans to continue the deliveries.

The effort has drawn national attention. He received a message from a Montana resident, a former Waterville native, who is willing to contribute to the effort.

State Represenative Bruce White commented, “What Kevin is doing is very kind.”

Some other Facebook posts stated, “Our lunch surprise put smiles on our faces. Fabulous burritos. Thank you for you support.“

Another post said, “Everyone loved them. Thank you. I didn’t even know this place existed.”

Joseph opened Guacamole’s in 2019, and has owned You Know Whose Pub since he purchased it in 2000. The Pub was originally founded in 1970 by Norton Webber, and purchased later by Al Oberlechner, who sold it to Joseph.

Next week, Joseph plans visits to MaineGeneral Medical Center and the Dialysis Center, in Fairfield.