It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for a local fish hatchery and some helping hands are needed.
The 20th annual fundraising dinner and auction for the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery is scheduled for July 11 at Bancroft Curling Club.
Volunteer Kevin Vance told MyBancroftNow organizers are actively recruiting community members to help out before, during and after the summer dinner.
Volunteers are needed for two-to-three-hour shifts on the Thursday and Friday leading up to the dinner. That includes setting up in the kitchen. Organizers are also looking for meal prep volunteers on the Saturday morning of the fish fry, servers and dishwashers for that evening and cleanup crews for take down the day after.
High schoolers can count volunteer hours towards community service commitments.
It’s a pickerel dinner, but there is also a pig roast.
“This is the biggest event of the year for us,” Vance said. “It’s the single biggest fundraiser, a lot of fun, but also crucial to running the hatchery.”
Vance said the hatchery is volunteer-run with a goal of raising and releasing native Lake Trout and Brooke Trout.
“At heart it is an environmental conservation organization.”
The hatchery partners with Bancroft Area Stewardship Council and Watersheds Canada.
“We work very closely with both of those organizations as well as and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, who provide financial support, knowledge and expertise.”
Vance adds that the Ministry of Natural Resources provides the hatchery with materials including training and nets.
Go to fishhatchery.ca for more information.
