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Parishioners gather at fish fries for food and fellowship

By Rosemary Bernth
Globe staff reporter
(Email Rosemary)

Lenten fish fries around the diocese give parishioners a chance to share their time, talents and treasures with the surrounding community.

Dedham
St. Joseph Parish in Dedham holds two fish fries a year – the first and third Fridays of Lent. On average, about 1,146 meals are served in a three-hour period.

The fish fries started with a simple recipe and only two fryers with the help of Doug and Jan Hilsabeck, who opened a restaurant in Gray, Iowa. Now the parish uses seven fryers to prepare the 840 pounds of fish.

What also makes the fish fries unique is the drive-thru concept for those on-the-go. About 175 meals were served.

Linda Sporrer, one of the parish bookkeepers and a parishioner for 30 years, said St Joseph’s fish fries are the best in Carroll County not just because of the food.

“Not only are the patrons happy and leave the Dedham Legion Hall with filled tummies, the parishioners are elated with working together for the common goal of a successful fundraiser and having a blast at the same time,” she said.

Ed Klocke, one of the organizers for the fish fries, said there are about 120 families in the parish and volunteers of all ages come to help out.

“It’s such a parish-involved event,” he said. It’s a lot of people who make it a success. Some of them even bring award-winning desserts.”

Rock Rapids/ Larchwood
The homemade fries seem to be just as big of a draw to the Knights of Columbus fish fries held between Rock Rapids and Larchwood, said Jeff Williams, a parishioner of Holy Name in Rock Rapids for over 26 years.

“They like the uniqueness of our potatoes,” he said. “We made our own waffle fries and have now gone on to making curly fries.”

The dinner also includes all you can eat fish, cole slaw and buns.

Holy Name is clustered with St. Mary Parish in Larchwood. Along with the Friday fish fries, the cluster parish has a fish dinner on a Saturday. About 150 people attend the KC fish fries and 200 for the dinner.

The funds for the Saturday fish fry pay for the cluster parish volunteer appreciation dinner, while the funds from the KC fish fries go toward a scholarship fund.

“We hope we can provide students with something toward their education,” said Williams.

Sioux City
Pam Mears, a parishioner at St. Michael’s in Sioux City for 35 years, said it takes a lot of work to run the famous fish fries.

Every parishioner is part of a fellowship circle and it takes two circles to help keep the dinners moving. From setting up to cleaning up, about 150 volunteers donate their time to serve the 750 to 900 people who walk through the parish hall doors.

Mears said everything is made fresh – the cole slaw, tartar sauce, homemade salads and desserts brought by the circle volunteers.

The 6-ounce cod is fried, and then placed in an oven before it’s kept in a warmer.

The funds raised go back to help the parish, said Mears.

“We make about $18,000 on the fish fries,” she said. “Through all our fundraising, we’re able to give back $26,000 to $30,000 a year to the parish, which is needed to keep the church viable.”

The fish fries are every Friday during Lent except for Good Friday.

Mears said the fish fries give people a good meal for a good price, along with some good company.

“You can’t go anyplace else to eat and get a meal and desert for that price,” she said. “It’s good fellowship and good meeting new parishioners working together for a good cause.”

Storm Lake
The Knights of Columbus in Storm Lake usually offers a fish and pasta buffet for all six Fridays of Lent, not including Good Friday. However, due to the high school boys’ basketball team playing on the first Friday, the council will have a Good Friday fish fry.

Kevin Kottke, who has been the organizer of the fish fries for five years, said the fish fries may have started 25 years ago.

“We have records that go back to 1995 when we served an average of 110 people each night,” he said. “We have grown over the past few years. Last year, we served an average of 425 people.”

The menu for the fish fry includes cole slaw, bread, potatoes cooked in butter and a French onion soup base and two options for fish – baked and fried.

“Our baked fish is seasoned with spices from a recipe given to us by Kathy Ortmann and baked in real butter and a little lemon juice on top,” said Kottke. “The fried fish once had a heavy batter, but now we use a very light batter that makes the fish light and tastes wonderful.”

Kottke said what makes their fish fries special are the desserts made by the school’s cooks, which helps attract the children. One week, the ladies made 45 homemade pies of 12 varieties.

For an extra $2, the Knights will include a 6-piece jumbo shrimp dinner.

Kottke said he enjoys the fellowship made through the fish fries.

“The best part about our Friday fish fries is the gathering of 20 fellow KC’s and their wives,” he said.