DAPHNE — Pat Edington is always busy with her work as an antiques appraiser, but she’s expecting the next few days will pass more quickly than most.

After all, it’s not every day that she and her husband, Robert, prepare to have Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over for lunch.

And not just Clinton. Thirty-six people, including folks from Alabama and as far away as Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi, are paying $4,600 apiece to attend the May 19 event.

That figure is the maximum amount an individual can give to a presidential candidate for the primary and general election, Edington said.

In all, this fund-raiser is expected to net $150,000 for Clinton’s presidential bid, she said.

“That’s a pretty amazing figure for Mobile or even Baldwin County,” Edington said.

But it’s not all about money, since the Edingtons are looking forward to sharing some time with a long-time friend.

“She’s a great person, so very kind and gracious. It will be wonderful to see her again,” Edington said Wednesday, pausing momentarily as she arranged some plates on the table where Clinton will be dining.

The two women have been friends for nearly 20 years, Edington said.

They met when Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas and visiting Mobile for a national conference.

That’s when Edington first got acquainted with Clinton — a meeting that took place on the Battleship U.S.S. Alabama, she said.

She and Clinton were most recently together earlier this spring during a march in Selma, Ala., she added.

Edington said planning for next Saturday’s luncheon began approximately three months ago.

It’s not the first time Edington, a long-time Democratic activist and former Democratic National Committee member, has raised money for Clinton’s political ambitions, she said.

Edington, a proud, self-proclaimed “Hillraiser,” said she enjoys this political fundraising work.

For example, Edington in June took 20 people from the Mobile area to have dinner with Clinton in Washington, D.C., she said.

In October, she took 14 people to help Clinton celebrate her birthday, Edington said.

She estimates that over the years she helped raise about $150,000 for Clinton’s Senate race.

Even though she’s still got lots of work to do before Clinton arrives, Edington is happy to help.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I have no doubt that one day, I’ll be able to look at that spot on our table and say that the nation’s first female president ate lunch there,” she said.

Clinton will be in New Orleans before flying into Mobile and will go to Atlanta for two events after leaving Daphne, Edington said.

Edington isn’t the only area Democrat who’s excited about Clinton’s visit.

Eastern Shore Democrats member Katherine Thompson of Fairhope said that this organization hasn’t yet endorsed a presidential candidate, but she’s happy that Clinton will be in the area.

“She’s an admirable person and I think she makes a good candidate,” Thompson said.

Another Daphne Democrat, former Baldwin County Commissioner Samuel Jenkins Sr., was glad to hear that Clinton would be visiting soon.

“I think she would be a good president, because she’s been involved and part of everything that happened politically when her husband was president,” Jenkins said.

“Plus, if she’s elected, she’ll have the same support that she gave her husband.”