Serving the fish, beans, cole slaw and tartar sauce at the Ellendale firefighters' fish fry were (from left) Travis Ladwid, David Modder, Allison Muillenberg, Nolan McGowan, and Jake Kaplan. Star Eagle photo by Deb Bently
Ellendale fish fry serves more than 500
Wed, 03/26/2025 - 8:12pm
Well over 500 diners benefited from the March 7 fish fry sponsored by the Ellendale Firefighters at the city’s community center and fire hall. According to fire chief Logan Busho, 450 meals were served in the dining hall and nearly 100 to-go meals were carried out. Dozens of people stood in a line which extended out the door and down the street already at the start time of 5 p.m. “It’s worth the wait,” one line member assured others as they entered the queue.
Inside, customers were invited to put their free-will donations into a gallon jar, then move on toward a line of cheerful firefighters dressed in matching red and black shirts. Diners were offered fried fish or chicken tenders, special recipe “firehouse beans,” coleslaw and creamy homemade tartar sauce.
“We went through 360 pounds of fish, 16 gallons of beans, 66 pounds of coleslaw and seven gallons of tartar sauce,” Busho reveals. “It was quite a successful night.”
All 19 Ellendale firefighters volunteered at the fish fry, a few even bringing relatives to help. Five members began preparing at around 7 a.m. and stayed through cleanup at 8 p.m.
“Everyone had their own role and worked together quite well,” comments the fire chief. “Over the years, the guys have established a pretty good system of what works and what doesn’t, so I feel like we’ve improved.”
In the dining hall, a dozen or more rows of tables spanned the width of the large room, yet it could be a challenge to find a seat.
Beverages–lemonade, water and milk–were available at a side table. Firefighters also circulated through the space, offering seconds.
According to Busho, money raised by the event will be used to acquire updated confined space extraction equipment, and to support other department initiatives.
Serving continued until about 7 p.m. “Delivering quality product was our main concern,” Busho said of the fast-paced activity throughout the fundraiser.
An additional fish fry is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, April 11, again at the Ellendale Community Center.
Busho expressed gratitude for the many area residents who supported the event. “When it comes down to it,” he said, “the community support is what keeps us going.”