Groups ramping up for covid-style fish fry fundraisers
As the pandemic closed in last year, fish fry organizers at St. Agnes Church in North Huntingdon scrambled to establish a drive-thru plan for an expected large crowd of hungry patrons.
Volunteers set up traffic cones to direct drivers and gave the drive-thru a shot in addition to the regular in-person event. That was Friday, March 13.
“But it worked out. We did well,” co-organizer Geralyn DeFelice said.
Fast forward nearly a year later and, with the world turned upside-down, the quick work ended up being a prescient effort. A pared-down number of volunteers will prepare and peddle the homemade fish dinners for the six Fridays of Lent this year, strictly as a drive-thru. DeFelice and co-organizer Lisa Findlay aren’t sure what to expect. They are not taking advance orders, as that would require more volunteers.
“It’s a shot in the dark,” DeFelice said. “We’re trying to be skeletal staff.”
Churches and fire departments around the area are adjusting their annual fish frys to meet pandemic recommendations from state and federal health officials. For some, that means takeout only or drive-thru events — with fewer volunteers helping out. Others have canceled. But many are forging ahead with a Lenten tradition in Western Pennsylvania as the pandemic shortened last season.
Fish frys open Friday, though some start Ash Wednesday, and run through March 26. Some locations will serve on Good Friday, April 2 this year.
Fish frys are among the biggest annual fundraisers for fire departments and churches, so it stung to cut them a few weeks short last year. Many closed as Gov. Tom Wolf enacted pandemic-related restrictions in mid-March.
Highlands Hose Volunteer Fire Company’s fry at the Tarentum station started off strong in 2020. “But then, right smack in the middle of Lent, the pandemic hit,” said Lt. Robert Stoebener, organizer and trustee.
Like many others, they lost out on thousands of dollars in anticipated income with canceled dates. This year, they’re pivoting to takeout only in hopes the community will still support the department as much as in years past.
“It’s unfortunate, but we want to make sure everybody’s safe,” Stoebener said.
In a good year, Adamsburg Fire Department could make as much as $10,000 on its fish fry. Organizer and department vice president Jeff Siegel also hopes for community support. Fish dinners will be available by takeout. Volunteers are considering whether to offer a dine-in option as in past years, Siegel said.
The early closure last year was costly, but the department gave back to the community with its leftovers by frying fish in June for donations, he said.
“We did pretty well,” Siegel said.
St. Agnes made about $23,000 in its three-week fish fry last year. This year’s fundraiser is extra important after the church canceled its annual summer bazaar in 2020, which typically a huge money-maker, DeFelice said.
“This is really helping right now because we’re minus $60,000,” she said.
Organizers don’t know what this year will bring in terms of income. Dave Krause said Our Lady Queen of Peace in East Vandergrift usually makes about $8,700 frying fish, but he realizes having only takeout might eat into profits.
“I’m hoping at least half because I have a feeling people want to get out of the house, ” he said.
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.