The fryers were up and running one final time for the fish fry season at the Bovard Fire Department in Westmoreland County on Friday. — The fryers were up and running one final time for the fish fry season at the Bovard Fire Department in Westmoreland County on Friday. They had planned to finish their season last week.
Like many fire departments and churches, Bovard hasn’t ever done a fish fry on Good Friday.
“We did have a lot of people asking us are you doing it on Good Friday? So we got together and decided if we had the crew, the volunteers, that we would do it, so that’s why we’re here today,” said Jane Byers of the Bovard Ladies Auxiliary.
On a typical Friday, Bovard sells about 600 to 700 pieces of fish. Good Friday will just be about 350.
“We’ve had great weeks the last six weeks, so we decided why not one more for this week to kind of go out on a good note,” said Jamie Bernoski of the Bovard Ladies Auxiliary.
They’re not the only fish fry in the area up and running on Good Friday.
Norvelt Fire Department in Mount Pleasant is expecting to sell hundreds of pounds of fish Friday night.
“We have almost 600 pounds ready to go tonight,” said Norvelt Fire Chief Matthew Zelenak. “It’s a lot of fish. It’s a lot of work.”
They tell Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek they fry about 75 pieces of fish every 15 minutes!
“Once it’s gone it’s gone, if we sell out, that would be even better,” Zelenak said.
Zelenak said these fish frys are crucial fundraisers for their operations. They’re working to pay off a new fire station.
Bovard is looking to build a new playground in town for kids.
“It’s 25-30 years old,” Bernoski said. “And it’s time for an upgrade for the kids to have a safe place to play.”
While it’s been a busy six weeks of preparing, breading, frying, and selling fish and other food on Fridays, volunteers in both Norvelt and Bovard say it’s been worth it.
“I love seeing the community get together,” Byers said. “That’s why I’m here...to see that smile.”
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