Ella and Kayla love their Papa. And Kevin feels the same way about his two charming granddaughters. They all piled in for this photo without a moment’s hesitation — well, some gentle encouragement, maybe. I mean, what child isn’t a little reluctant to give up recess time with schoolmates before lunch. I’m not sure what was on the menu, but it was a beautiful spring day with soccer balls and swings flying, woods’ exploring and just plain blowing off steam.

Kevin had lunch with the kids. I was invited, but declined due to pressing engagement at home with PB and J. I know, not on the nutritional fine dining list for elementary school children (or adults). But it’s not an everyday affair.

Kevin Burnham will begin his 33rd year at the Boothbay Register later this month. That means he started there in the spring of 1987. He became a cub reporter the year after Howard Cowan passed and Mrs. Cowan took over as publisher. It was a dream job that ended a short-lived bartending career.

Howard Cowan bought the Register from Dan DeRepentigny. Kevin would have probably still been in school then, but he “harbored” a long-time interest in the newspaper from childhood and after he graduated from high school, he studied journalism at the University of Maine. He popped in on Mary Brewer from time to time, asking about an internship. There was no room at the inn then, but Mary kept him on her radar, and he signed on in ’87. After a stretch at the paper and some reshuffling of positions, Kevin became editor when Mary moved to managing editor.

Ella and Kayla probably don’t give a hoot about Kevin’s career at the paper. But as I watched the three of them head off to the school cafeteria for lunch, it was clear to me that Papa is special, no matter how long he has worked at the paper.