Principal Mark Grgurich knows it takes a lot of community support to make fish fry events at Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy in Aspinwall a success.
Everyone does their part, from parent volunteers on the fryers and transporting hot trays, teachers moving desserts and students taking orders.
“We’re creating this sense of community amongst everybody,” Grgurich said at the Friday fish fry on March 7. “This is what it’s all about — helping each other out. You come here and you’re going to have a great experience. You’re going to have some good food. You have an opportunity to share a meal with family, friends and neighbors.”
The academy fish fry offers beer-battered cod, fried shrimp, pierogies, haluski, mac and cheese, fries and a mix of home-baked and store-bought desserts.
Longtime teacher Margaret Katocs delivered those desserts to dine-in patrons March 7. She said it is always a delight seeing former students and staff and other friendly faces at the fish fry.
Aspinwall couple Robin Kear and Robinson Ocampo were among the faces fed that night.
“I just like supporting the local neighborhood, the local church,” Ocampo said. “Their fish is good. I also like their baked goods.”
Kear said her favorite items were the fish and coleslaw. They also picked up pierogies for their kids.
Parent Rusty Ludwick lent his time and talents at the fryers. His daughter, Elizabeth, is in third grade. Ludwick said it was his first year helping out at the fish fry and it was a great experience.
Seventh and eighth graders contributed by setting up tables, taking orders and helping out in the kitchen.
Abby Kurlfink of Pittsburgh’s Morningside neighborhood and Kenz Grisson of Penn Hills, both 14, showed teamwork greeting customers and handling transactions at the dine-in entrance table.
“We love it,” Abby said. It was their first time volunteering at that position.
Formerly known as St. Scholastica, the academy hosts a fish fry twice a year during Lent — one on the Friday right after Ash Wednesday and the second in early April.
That is how the fundraiser has been for more than a decade, largely due to manpower and scheduling.
“If we can get a little more dedicated people to be able to do it on a weekly basis, we might try to do it that way,” Grgurich said. “I’ve been here for 11 years. For those 11 years, this is how it’s always been done. Between our parent/teacher guild, who has run it, and also our athletic association has run it from time to time as well.”
The academy has 166 students from eight school districts in grades preschool through eighth grade.
Its fundraising goal is $120,000 for the year. It equates to about 10% of the operating budget.
The fish fries net about $10,000. The next fish fry is April 4.
Lunch is served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner from 3:30 to 7 p.m. followed by bingo from 7 to 10 p.m. More information is available at cdtca.org.