Penguin to visit Haverhill nursing home; Aquarium officials say former Miss Massachusetts prompted the visit

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

A distinguished personage wearing a tuxedo is expected to pay an unusual visit to a Haverhill nursing home on Wednesday.

Roast Beef (John Holt/Dock 25)

Roast Beef, a specially trained African penguin from the New England Aquarium, is slated to visit the Hannah Duston Rehabilitation Center.

Aquarium officials say the nursing home visit is a first. Usually, Roast Beef travels in his specially-outfitted air-conditioned cuble to schools and community events. However, officials said, “Penguins are clearly loved by all ages.”

The officials say they’re bringing the penguin because nursing home resident Sandra Sterling (a former Miss Massachusetts from the 1950s) painted a poster of several different penguin species and sent it to the Aquarium along with a letter saying how much she enjoyed the birds.

Aquarium staff were moved by Sterling’s letter and after searching for a proper response came to a “Eureka” moment when they decided to bring the “cute and adorable” five-pound penguin to the home, said spokesman Tony LaCasse.

Aquarium officials thought, “That makes a lot of sense, and it could be a lot of fun,” he said.