Shriners' fish feast packs post
May 23—Boone County Shriners' hard work in preparing for a fish fry Saturday paid off, as more than 500 came to enjoy fish and chicken.
They packed the American Legion Post No. 113 in Lebanon and ate nearly 400 pounds of cod alone. Extended families came to dine together and sit and catch up with neighbors they'd not seen in some time. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the Shriner's usual fish fry for two years, and this was the first time it returned in full swing.
Shriners hustled in a building full of hot fryers behind the post. The father and son team of Carrol and Jeff Dickerson have worked at the fish fry together for more than 20 years. This year they fried chicken and joked with other men who were frying biscuits to be served with apple butter.
Other Shriners ran food from the frying shed to the serving tables inside, trying to keep up with demand.
Many hands are needed to prepare food for 500, Shrine Club President Kenny Kincaid said, as he ran take-out orders to cars in a drive-thru line.
Kincaid said the Shriners especially appreciated the help of volunteers from Central Indiana Teen Challenge. The teen-aged girls worked feverishly to keep drinks filled and visited with diners.
And Shriners clowns were generous with gags and balloon creations of all sorts, from dogs to swords.
The Shriners are planning for a golf outing in July. It will be open to the public and proceeds with benefit Shriners Hospitals in Lexington, Dayton and Chicago, as will fish fry proceeds. Proceeds are divided among the specialty children's hospitals, member David Dean said.
Shriners Children's Hospitals is a network of non-profit medical facilities across the nation that serve children in a family centered environment, regardless of their ability to pay. Specialties include treatment for orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate, and others.
