No bones about it! Local restaurant says they support church’s fish-fry fundraiser

BURRILLVILLE – The owners of Uncle Ronnie’s Red Tavern say they strongly support St. Theresa’s Church and Shrine in Nasonville for their annual efforts to raise funds with a fish n’ chips fundraiser.

At a Town Council meeting on Feb. 15, Burrillville Town Councilman Raymond Trinque’s expressed a belief that the church’s fish dinner event could hurt business for sit-down restaurants in town during the Lenten season.

Trinque voiced opposition to an application submitted by St. Theresa’s, which was requesting a special event victualing license for its annual series of fish n’ chips dinners.

Held every year during Lent, the church offers weekly eat-in and take-away fish n’ chip dinners every Friday.

Proceeds from the dinners support the church and its parish programs.

Trinque argued that the fundraiser could take away customers from nearby restaurants. Uncle Ronnie’s is about a half-mile away from the church, on the opposite side of Broncos Highway.

“A lot of these church fundraisers are great and I’ve attended many of them, but this particular fundraiser has been an issue for me over

the years,” Trinque said. “St. Theresa’s runs this fish n’ chips festival on successive Fridays during Lent in direct competition with restaurants. For the restaurants, this (Lenten season) is their best opportunity in the entire year to sell fish n’ chips.”

The owners of Ronnie’s Red Tavern made it a point this week to announce that they support the church’s efforts and don’t see it as an imposition.

Ron and Paula Dumas issued a statement earlier this week, saying they fully support St. Theresa’s fundraiser and do not support Trinque’s statements.

“My husband Ron and I have no objection to St. Theresa’s annual fish and chip fundraiser,” said Paula Dumas. “The Catholic churches need these and other fundraisers to keep them going. We have and will continue to donate food and other items when requested by all of the local parishes to help keep them going. We do not share the same opinion as Mr. Trinque.”

Rev. Michael J. McMahon said that since assuming the office of pastor of St. The- resa’s in 2015, he has never been approached by Trinque, local businesses or the town regarding Trinque’s concerns.

McMahon called Trinque’s opposition “misguided,” saying the church’s weekly Lenten fish fries have been a tradition for nearly two decades.

The rest of the Town Council disagreed with Trinque and voted 6 to 1 to grant the church its special event victualing license. Trinque cast the dissenting vote.