Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie netted over $13,000 at this year’s annual fish fry fundraiser, held earlier this month at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. The proceeds support Let’s Go Fishing Eden Prairie‘s mission to provide free fishing trips for seniors, hospice patients, veterans, youth, disabled individuals, and more.
The entirely volunteer-run organization provides such excursions to as many as 4,000 people per season, operating out of two pontoon boats at Eden Prairie’s Lake Riley in Riley Lake Park. They also host annual Cops and Bobbers and Hooks and Ladders events, partnering local police and firefighters with area youth for fishing excursions.
This year’s March 8 fish fry fundraiser, the group’s largest event of the year, moved to a larger location at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, where Let’s Go Fishing board member Tina Palmer said the organization served about 765 meals.
Those meals included fried pollock, hush puppies, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, water, coffee, lemonade, and cookies, served in an all-you-can-eat format. Those who wanted more could replenish their plates at a “seconds line” in the St. Andrew fellowship hall, which served as the dining area.
In addition to food sales, Let’s Go Fishing raised funds to support expenses like fuel, boat maintenance, life jackets, bait, and more through a raffle, silent auction, wine pull and passing an empty gas can for donations at the event.
“Overall, we were very pleased with the results, and we had numerous compliments from people about the event,” including from many people who had never attended in the past, Palmer said.
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