The Shriners Fish Fry is still open for business, so swing by Industry Drive and pick up dinner on your way home from work this afternoon – teams of volunteers have completed all the prep work and the drive-thru lanes are open until 7 p.m.
“Tell ‘em to come on, we got it ready,” said Shriner Vernon Mustian, who is this year’s fish fry chairman and he his fellow Shriners will be preparing plates all day long at their location on Industry Drive, near Lowe’s Home Improvement and Mako Medical.
This is the 59th fish fry, with proceeds going to the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Greenville, SC.
John Ayscue was manning the payment tent when the fish fry began at 11 a.m. “Come on by and get a fish plate,” Ayscue told WIZS. Shriners sold tickets in advance, but if you don’t have a ticket, you can still come and pick up a plate for $10.
Anyone who orders 10 or more plates can have them delivered. Shriner Larry Parker was gathering plates to deliver to local business M.R. Williams, which has generously supported the Shriners’ efforts through purchase of plates for years.
Organizers hope to raise $10,000 for the children’s hospital, which provides medical care free of charge for children.
“The good Lord gave us a great day,” Parker said. “We’ve got plenty of help and plenty of fish. The plate includes freshly fried fish, cole slaw, potato salad and hush puppies.
Shriner Randy Newman is one of those long-time volunteers for the fish fry, but he also is a Roadrunner, which means he transports the young patients and their parent to appointments at the Greenville, SC hospital.
“I’ve seen the work that they do – it’s amazing,” Newman said. “It does not cost a child or his parents anything out of pocket…food, lodging – everything is taken care of.”
One local youngster who Newman has driven to the hospital for care now serves as an International Ambassador for the hospital.
Of course, this day is about more than fish plates. Many men and women have been dedicated volunteers for this fundraiser for many years.
Ayscue said he’s been collecting money since the fish fry was held at the Armory, which means he’s been one of those dedicated volunteers for a long time. The Shriners have held the fish fry at several different locations since the Armory, including vacant buildings and a former grocery store. But several years ago, fellow Shriner Sherby Slaughter opened up his facility to host the fish fry and the location has proven a good one.
Henry Gupton, Vance County Clerk of Superior Court, hustled past the WIZS microphone just before noontime, in a rush to deliver lunch plates to his colleagues at the courthouse and a couple of other businesses along the way.
Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame was on hand to lend his support to the cause in the early afternoon as well; the local Shriners appreciate the community support that the fish fry has gotten over the years.
“You couldn’t give to a better cause…to help a child,” said Billy Currin, another one of those long-time volunteers. Currin told WIZS that teams had prepared containers of cole slaw and potato salad for 1,700 plates Tuesday evening – the only thing left to add were the fish and hush puppies.
Volunteers arrived early to start preparing the fish, Currin said. By day’s end, he said 800 plates would have been delivered – and that doesn’t include those that customers pick up themselves.
More than 100 plates were whisked away for delivery by 10 a.m., he noted.
“Our delivery this morning was very strong,” Currin added, standing near the drive-thru lanes that were seeing a brisk business as well.