This will be my last newsletter of  2012, and I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your loyalty and continued support of the China Dine-ah.Whether you have eaten with us, told a friend about us, or simply read the newsletter, with the hope of making it back someday, a great BIG THANK YOU from myself, Sherri, Megan, Michelle, Ryan, and the rest of the very capable staff here at the Dine-ah. 

Through this newsletter, which reaches over 15,000 readers weekly, we have created an opportunity to stay in touch with you, our patrons and customers. We have been able to communicate our weekly specials, and to keep you up to date with the happenings at the Dine-ah and at times, what has been going on in my personal life. It has been a demanding year, but a very successful one also. Again, we have served over 90,000 meals and for the most part, we have received very favorable and sometimes flattering reviews.

We did not achieve one of my goals, which was to be written up in Downeast Magazine in our first five years of business. Who knows, someday they may discover us and it probably wouldn't hurt the cause, if we sent a letter explaining what we are all about, located in this little central Maine community.  This community happens to share the same name as the largest populated country in the world, China, with 1,347,350,000 people representing 20% of the world's population.  

Not to go without mention, we did receive a review by the Travelin' Mainers George and Linda Smith in the Kennebec Journal's "What's Happening" section of the newspaper last December, which we are very thankful for.

The population of China, Maine is 4,328 per the 2010 Census. Even though we are very well supported by our "regulars", you can see how important it is, that we reach out to all of you, well beyond the China Lakes region. Critics said, I was crazy to build this restaurant in such a small community and we have proven them wrong, by creating a product and an environment that people are willing to travel for. So in retrospect, I can let go of not meeting our goal of making the magazine and instead concentrate on being thankful that so many of you truly appreciate, what it is that we do, each and every day. Well, maybe not on Mondays when we are closed, but I will tell you, on this day, a lot goes on to keep our facility looking new, fresh and always clean.

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart  and we hope you join us in 2013 for your favorite meal served by some of the friendliest servers in the business. Remember, if we should ever loose our power, we can always rely on "Back Up Betty" our 50,000 watt generator, our dedicated local staff, and our commitment to our communities to be here for you. We never want you leaving your house wondering if we will be open or not. If our literature says we are open, we are open!

Wishing you a Happy New Year!