Winter Park’s first fish fry was held in 1949 and was organized by Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Nidy. The event (which took place in their backyard) was an attempt to raise funds in order to repay the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The Nidys had received assistance from this organization when their teenaged son was stricken with polio in 1947. The charity provided treatment for their son that cost over $10,000. At first, he was treated locally at the Florida Sanitarium. Later, the national group provided treatment at Warm Springs, Georgia. Although his prognosis was not good originally, he recovered and eventually graduated from Winter Park High School.
In 1950, the fish fry drew over 300 people. So in 1951, the Lions Club took over this popular event. The Lions Club held the annual fish fry on the grounds of the Winter Park Elementary School. The school playground was transformed into an outdoor kitchen and dining room. Field stoves, furnaces, large cooking vats, stainless steel tanks, and long tables were strategically placed around the grounds. Over the years, the menu grew to include: Fried fish, hush puppies, baked beans, cole slaw, and home made cupcakes. Coffee and soft drinks were also available. In the 1950s, the cost of this event was $1.00. It later went up to $1.25!!!
Proceeds from these events continued to go to charities. The March of Dimes (in its fight against polio) received half of the earnings, with the other half going to the Lions Club - for their own work for the blind, which included providing eyeglasses for people in need.
This “community fish fry” was said to be the largest in the nation at that time.
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It took hours of preparation to put on the fish fry. Here, C.W.
Graves worked diligently to level the ground in order to erect a furnace. |
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Children also got into the act! This 1956 photo featured Donald Blackwell, Toby Wagner, Frank Bush, Edward Carver, and Buddy Layton as they dug the last of the fish out of the ice. |
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Frank
Billingham and Joe
Shifalo were in charge of making the coffee. It was said that these stainless steel tanks could make and serve hundreds of gallons of coffee an hour. |
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Mr. Marvin Childs packed Pepsi Cola bottles into the coolers. |
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C.W. Graves and Clarence
Hurley – all dressed up for the Lions Club fish fry. Mr. Graves was the chairman of the fish fry.
Mr. Robert Nidy also served as co-chairman of the event. |
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The ladies of the Lions Auxiliary assisted with the preparation of the food for these events. Left to right: Mrs. Robert Nidy, Mrs. Stanley Duane, Mrs. John Henderson, Mrs. Felix Cowart, Mrs. E.E. Smith, and Mrs. Elmer Pike.
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“Fish, Fish and More Fish!” Lions Club members did the actual frying of the fish. |
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The caption for this photo in the Winter Park Sun read: “Come one, come all! – to the community fish fry sponsored by the local Lions Club Friday night at the elementary school playground. All proceeds from the benefit will go to the March of Dimes and the Lions Club work with the blind. Serving will begin at 5:30pm.” |
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Mr. T.R. Workman displayed a steaming example of the fried fish. |
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Larger picture (from left): W.E.
Winderweedle, Edward
Keezel, Mr. and Mrs.
James Keezel, Mrs. Winderweedle, and Mrs. Stuart Thayer sat down to enjoy the community fish fry. |
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