Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, so for many Catholics and others who follow the practice, it means eating fish today and on Fridays. As a result, the fish fry has become a popular Lenten fundraiser for many organizations.
Our local entertainment guide published a list of the events and restaurants that serve fish and it seems that everywhere offers cod on the menu during this time of year. In a town of 60,000, an incredible 108 entries were included, many offering all-you-can-eat buffets and special fish offerings just for the season.
But the practice actually calls for Catholics to “abstain from eating meat” which is different than eating fish. It provides many more options for people: salads, eggs or omelets, vegetables, plant-based products, rice, beans, vegetable lasagna, chickpeas, tofu, etc. But nowhere do we see salad fundraisers, pancake dinners, or seafood pasta fundraisers. It’s all fish.
If you are attempting to capitalize on a practice, take a broad view of the opportunities it presents for you. You may be successful in offering fish fry #109 or you may be better off providing an alternative menu that helps you to stand out apart from the crowd.
