TOLEDO, Ohio — Fish fry Fridays draw many to churches during Lent, and the tradition can also serve as fundraisers for the churches.
Jan Poulson described St. Jerome Catholic Church's fish fry as "a well-oiled machine."
The fish fry served 948 people in just two-and-a-half hours last week, setting a record for the Walbridge church, according to organizers.
"We would get really happy when we hit 500, but when we were in the 600s, 700s and last week was 900, It was crazy," Poulson, an organizer for the event, said.
She said the event is the church's biggest fundraiser of the year. Most of the funds are profits, too, thanks to donations and about 80 volunteers.
"It helps the ministry, it helps out with the church, maintenance in the church, everything," Poulson said.
Big turnouts at fish fries could also lead to more people attending mass on the following Sundays, organizers hope.
Volunteer Dave Berghian said the church uses the fish fries not only to serve food but to also invite people in as parishioners.
He also hopes that he and other volunteers' enjoyment of the fish fries shines through to those attending.
"Since the pandemic, it's been a bit of a struggle. People are still coming back," Berghian said. "We remain eternally hopeful and prayerful. God bless the church. The people that visit us, we want them to feel that. This is kind of our mini ministry if you will."
People line up at St. Jerome before the doors even open. Poulson said the longest someone has had to wait is 40 minutes, but that it's worth it in the end.
"I tell them 'I promise you're not at Cedar Point, but there is an amazing ride at the end of that line, I swear,'" she said.
Organizers said they served over 750 people on Friday and average about 800 weekly.
St. Jerome has three more fish fries left in the Lenten season, each from 5-7:30 p.m.
For a list of local fish fries, click here.