Wildlife Federation’s fish fry fundraiser proved to be a wild success

The Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation’s annual fish fry fundraiser took place this past weekend, with two sittings each on the night of March 22 and then again on March 23 at the federation’s clubhouse. The event raised funds in support of the federation’s ongoing educational programs such as the Fish in Schools (FinS) program.

The supper was confirmed to be a wild success and sold out on both nights. Each sitting had room for 150 individuals and there were four total sittings, one beginning at 5 p.m. and a second at 7 p.m. on each respective night.

All said, a total of 600 seated guests were served along with approximately 100 takeout meals.

“The event was a huge success,” stated Todd Smith, president of the Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation.

Held at the transition point between ice and open water fishing seasons, the fish fry provides a shore lunch outing and serves as a reminder of the upcoming open water season with the resulting return of warmer weather.

The annual supper is one of the non-profit charitable conservation organization’s major yearly fundraising initiatives, and proceeds help support its ongoing educational initiatives in the community.

A few of these programs include fishing schools, Fish in the Classroom (FinS), Pheasants in the Classroom programs, and a number of outings such as the earlier youth and family ice fishing tournament held on March 9.

The exact amount raised during this year’s event will not be officially revealed until the conclusion of the next upcoming general meeting. By the start of the meeting, organizers will have had enough time to count all the tickets and calculate the event’s expenses.

Smith confirmed that next year’s fish fry fundraiser is scheduled to take place around the same time and date, and the menu will once again include Pike.

“We’ll continue with Pike, for sure. That’s been a running tradition and we’re not going to switch it up now,” he said.

Pike continues to be the mainstay dish because it’s available locally and all proceeds stay in the province. The fish is sourced exclusively from Denare Beach in Northern Saskatchewan.

“We support the local communities up there with their netting programs… and their fish plant, so we’re happy to do that,” Smith said.

“Hopefully we’ll see everybody out again to support our branch and our work within the community, and we look forward to seeing everybody there (in 2025).”

To answer the biggest question of the event, Smith revealed that the federation appeared to be successful in changing at least a few minds on the culinary value of Pike as a menu option.

“I think so,” he replied. “We had lots of people who didn’t even realize it was Pike. They were coming up and saying, ‘It’s really, really good. What is that stuff?’

“I think there were a few that kind of got their eyes opened as to what the culinary potential of Pike can be.”

The yearly fish fry fundraiser is held at the Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation building located behind the Town ‘N’ Country Mall at 1396 Third Avenue Northeast. To contact the wildlife federation, the number to call is 306-693-4047.

If you’re looking for additional ways to help support the Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation and its conservation and educational efforts, the federation is inviting you to its upcoming annual fundraiser on Saturday, April 27 at the Moose Jaw Exhibition grounds. More details will be provided in the weeks to come.

To learn more about the Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation and its conservation efforts, visit the federation’s Facebook page, ‘Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation,’ or its website at MJWildlife.ca.