NEWBURYPORT — After keeping a low profile since the Recreation and Youth Services Department named its new mascot in March, Plum the Piping Plover made her grand entrance Tuesday outside City Hall to a hearty round of applause coming from about 25 people.
Plum was joined by RYS Director Andrea Egmont, Mayor Sean Reardon and local fourth-graders Maddox Mutabdzija and Lorelei Rea just outside the front entrance.
The two 10-year-olds were the winners of a mascot origin story contest as a way of promoting Plum’s appearance. The two scribes won a $25 gift certificate to Hodgies Too Ice Cream.
“This is fun that there’s a small crowd here,” Egmont said.
It is hoped Plum puts a new face on the newly renamed Recreation and Youth Services Department, which used to be called Newburyport Youth Services and featured a mascot named Lucky the Duck. When the city department was rebranded, it sparked the idea of rebranding its mascot, according to city officials.
Egmont explained that her department wanted to shy away from the clipper ship motif considering its use in local schools, leaving an animal or bird as the next best choice. With that in mind, the city’s most-talked-about bird, Plum Island’s iconic piping plover, was chosen.
The department received eight submissions, with the winners selected by Reardon, Egmont and The Daily News. After reading both winning essays to the crowd, Egmont praised all of the authors.
“They were all awesome,” Egmont said.
Lorelei said it took about 10 minutes to write her origin story and that her favorite part was describing her friends and some of Plum’s friends. Maddox’s essay, which he said took about 20 minutes, featured many sports references, including activities at which Plum excels. That was his favorite part, he added.
When asked if she would share the Hodgie’s gift certificate with her family, Lorelei made it plain what she intended to do.
“Take it all for myself,” she said.
Her comment elicited plenty of chuckles from family members, with one saying: “At least she’s honest.”
Reardon, who gave the essay winners a certificate of achievement, had nothing but good things to say about Plum’s first public appearance.
“I’m extremely excited we landed on Plum,” Reardon said, adding that any way the city can highlight the endangered bird is a win.
Plum could be making her first public appearance at Saturday morning’s Big Wheel 500 race at Cushing Park. But if Plum is unable to make it, she will still take part in the upcoming Pride Parade weekend, Egmont said.
When approached by a Daily News reporter seeking comment, Plum placed her wings over her mouth and remained silent.
Dave Rogers is the editor of the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.