Shaw Fire Department Fish Fry set for Saturday
Shaw Fire Department is ready for a feast.
The department’s annual fish fry, which has been a tradition in the community since 1979, will take place this from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday at the station.
“We’ve had this fish fry nearly as many years as we’ve been a volunteer fire department,” said chief David Steele.
“It’s really got to be a tradition. All the politicians usually come to it, especially when there’s an election looming in the near future. It’s a community meeting.”
The firemen do all the cooking themselves, from the fish and chicken all the way to a unique hush puppy recipe.
One ticket entitles attendees to an all-you-can-eat afternoon, including drinks and desserts.
“If you walk away hungry, it’s your own fault,” Steele said.
“We have a lot of people who make two meals out of it. We made a pact a long time ago, that we would serve the best tasting stuff we could find, at a price everybody can afford. So far we’ve done that. If it don’t taste right, next year we’ll do something different.”
In addition to the fish plates, board member James Smith will be on hand to provide cotton candy, and volunteers will do door prizes and give away smoke alarms to those who
need them.
“It’s just a fun time that we have with the people of the community, and they get to know the firefighters that protect them,” Steele said. “Sometimes we do have entertainment, but a lot of times the entertainment is the people and camaraderie.”
All funds raised will go toward the fire department, which operates largely on dona
tions and volunteer time. This year, Modern Woodmen is matching proceeds.
“We stand to make a lot more because of Modern Woodmen sponsoring it; it’s going to be a real shot in the arm to get the extra help,” said Steele, who hopes to put funds toward new burnout gear. “All this money goes back into the fire department. It’s expensive to operate.”
Steele has served with the department for the past 32 years. He said the payoff to being a fireman isn’t financial, but instead the knowledge that he has helped others.
“When people have fond memories of you taking care of them during a bad time in their life, that’s one of the things you look for when you’re a volunteer fireman,” he said.
Still, he said, departments across the board need more help. One of the perks to hosting the fish fry is that it provides an opportunity to showcase equipment and possibly bring in new recruits.
“Essentially, all your volunteer fire departments are short on people,” Steele said. “It’s not just us. It takes special people to be on the department and do this, but you never know until you try it. Maybe some people will come who have been thinking about it, and they’ll sign up.”
Tickets for the fish fry are $15 for adults, and $8 for children under 12. Kids five and under are free. The event will be held inside, and Steele said that there are plenty of tables and chairs set up in case of rain.