JERMYN, Pa. — "Without it, you'd be talking to an empty wall here."
That's what Joe Hosie, chief engineer of Artisan Fire Company in Jermyn, had to say about the department's annual fish fry event.
Usually, it's held every year on Good Friday, but 2020 hasn't been a normal year.
It was canceled back in April because of the coronavirus, but the good news is it's coming back and will happen.
"The first thing is the money," Hosie said. "We have a perfect day. It's always on Good Friday, so we're stressing it's still our Good Friday meal, but it's going to be the first of August."
Organizers say the fish fry, which has been going strong for more than 50 years, brings in thousands of dollars every year. Without that money, the fire company is hurting, which is why it was necessary to hold it a few months later.
"We wanted to show the community that we're still here even though we have a pandemic going on," Tricia Nicholson-Dabney, president of Artisan Auxiliary, said. "We want to show the community that we're here, we're still up and running, and we need the community support."
"Our bills are still coming in," Hosie said. "We have no fundraisers, no hall rentals, and this year, the borough took $2,000 from us. Usually, they support us as well, but this year they had to pull back $2,000 from both fire departments."
CDC guidelines will be followed, and the fish fry will be takeout only.
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