The weather cooperated this year for the 59th Annual American Legion Post 323 Fish Fry at the Clearwater Legion Sunday.

 

The temperature was about 34 degrees with no snow or rain. Unlike some years, there weren’t any piles of snow to fill up parking areas.

 

In fact, even though the temperature the day before was in the high 50s, it was better for it to be a little cooler for the fish fry.

 

“This is perfect,” said Tom Allen of the Legion. “If it would have been like yesterday, everybody would have been home raking their yards.”

 

Allen has been part of the fish fry for many years. But it dates back much longer.

 

“We’ve been doing this before I was around,” he said. “Before the Legion was here, they started at the old Masonic Hall in the 1920s. I’m not sure what they called it then.”

 

Whatever it was called back then, people continue to attend the annual event. Allen said there were over 800 people last year, and the numbers have been going up every year. An hour into the fish fry Sunday, more than 150 had already bought a ticket for a tasty meal that included breaded pollock, beans, cole slaw, potato salad and a dinner roll, plus a beverage. 

 

The tables were filled with people from the community sharing a meal and good conversation.

 

In addition to the food, there were door prizes, a meat raffle, pull tabs and hundreds of donated items in a silent auction.

 

Allen said every year, members of the Legion make their rounds to local business to get gifts for the auction.

 

“We go out to every town and put out bulletins asking for donations,” he said. “They call us all the way from Kimball, Foley, Monticello and St. Cloud and we go pick them up.”

 

The list of silent auction items Sunday included hooded sweatshirts, monogrammed caps, tools, collector plate, glass sculptures, kids basket with cowboy pistols, Slip’n Slide, fishing rods and reels,  wine, a bird feeder, Twins beach blanket, vintage playing cards and wildlife prints. There were also more than 80 gift certificates.

 

Although not all businesses marked their items, some of the businesses who donated included Clearwater Tax and Accounting, Flinstones, Bernicks, Clear Lake Farmers Elevator, Clearwater Hardware, Gustafson Trailers, Garage Door Store, Midwest Machinery, NovaCare Clearwater Corners, Parts City, Clearwater Laser, The Brickyard, Clearwater Travel Plaza, Coborn’s, Rigs to Rods, Mathison Motors, Tri-County Lumber, Transportation Repair Services, Clearwater Tire & Auto and Clearview Eye Clinic.

 

There was also a live auction that included signed nature prints by Jim Hansel, a well-known artist in the outdoors community with organizations like Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever.

 

“He knows one of our members,” said Legion Commander Ron Lashinski.

 

Lashinski spent the entire day Sunday personally greeting everyone at the door and thanking them for attending.

 

Proceeds from the event go into the Legion general fund to help pay the bills.

 

“Years ago they did this to pay the taxes,” said Allen. “Now it doesn’t even come close with the taxes.”

 

“This is the one fundraiser we use for upkeep of the buildings, which is a never-ending job,” said Lashinski.

 

Some of the funds are also donated to organizations and causes where gambling money can’t be used. The Legion is continually helping those in the community through fundraisers.

 

“We appreciate the community’s support,” said Lashinski. “And his allows us to continue to support veterans’ causes.”