Friday fish fry and raffle to benefit McLaren nursing staff with key upgrades

The Friday fish fry is a time-honored Midwestern tradition. Though it has its roots in German and Polish Catholicism, the Friday fish fry has become about as culturally ubiquitous as pizza and chicken wings during the big game.

The latest fundraising event from the McLaren Port Huron Foundation taps into that tradition, forging a partnership with local Elks Lodge 343 to debut their inaugural Fish Fry event. Like many of the foundation’s fundraisers, the Friday Fish Fry will help raise money for critical infrastructure and equipment upgrades for the nonprofit hospital. Funds raised through the event will provide new Workstations on Wheels, or WOW stations, for all of its nursing staff.

The McLaren Port Huron Foundation Fish Fry is scheduled for Friday, March 12.

“The Workstations on Wheels are an integral part of daily patient care,” says Sara Tait, director of the McLaren Port Huron Foundation.“One of the most frequently used pieces of equipment a nurse uses to provide safe and high-quality care for our patients is a Workstation on Wheels. It is used to document the details necessary to care for our patients and it allows us to use technology to safely administer medication,” says Christine Sansom, Vice President of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer at McLaren Port Huron.

“Having the most updated technology for this high-use tool will allow our nurses to spend more time doing what they do best: providing compassionate care to our patients and their families.”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Friday Fish Fry is a take-out event. Available for carry-out will be a three-piece order of fried Icelandic cod, a five-piece order of sautéed yellow lake perch, or a fried shrimp basket. Each meal comes with French fries, homemade cole slaw, dinner roll, and dessert. Dinners cost $25 each and orders must be placed by Friday, March 5.

Also new this year is a raffle package, a $500 value.Also new this year is a raffle package that includes a YETI Tank 45 cooler, picnic set, and gift certificates to Anita’s Riverfront Grille, Marine City Fish Company, and the River Crab Blue Water Inn. With a prize package totaling $500 in value, tickets for the raffle can be purchased for $10 online.

Money raised from both the Fish Fry and raffle will be used to purchase the latest in Workstation on Wheels equipment and technology for McLaren Port Huron’s nurses.

“The Workstations on Wheels are an integral part of daily patient care. We are proud to direct funds from the Fish Fry to new WOW carts and focus on giving back to the nursing staff for all they do for our patients,” says Sara Tait, director of the McLaren Port Huron Foundation.

The McLaren Port Huron Foundation Fish Fry is scheduled for Friday, March 12, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Meals can be picked up from Elks Lodge 343, which is located at 3292 Beach Rd. in Port Huron.

Orders must be placed by Friday, March 5, at www.mclaren.org/phfishfry or by calling the Foundation at 810-989-3776.