Weekly Opinion Editorial
FISH FRY TO FEATURE COBURN!by Steve Fair
In May of 2005, the Stephens County GOP held our first annual Fish Fry. It was at the Stephens County Fairgrounds and U.S. Congressman Tom Cole was our speaker. We had about 200 people in attendance. Our goal was to begin an annual fundraising event that would help us fund our SCGOP activities. Our example was the Comanche County Republican Party which just recently held their 17th annual BBQ. The growth of the GOP Fish Fry has been amazing. Last year, we outgrew the exhibit hall in the main building and had to move into the Rodeo Arena.
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Last year, former Congressman J.C. Watts spoke to over 850 people. The Canadian Valley Rangerettes, an equestrian drill team, performed. The SCGOP Fish Fry was the largest single gathering of Republicans in the state of Oklahoma in 2010. Sufficient money to provide the headquarters for the 2010 election cycle was raised. Most people don’t know it but, the national and state Republican Party do not help fund the local headquarters. That is why it is so important to have a successful annual fundraising event that is not only well attended, but raises money.
*****
The SCGOP Fish Fry is a unique event because all the food preparation, cooking, serving, set-up, clean up is done by volunteers. That helps us keep the ticket price low and allows us to ‘net’ out more profit. It also gets more people engaged in the process which builds comrade. Many close personal relationships have resulted from shared involvement by volunteers who met for the first time at the Fish Fry.
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As you might expect, an operation of this magnitude requires an army of volunteers. I can’t mention everyone, but I will name a few. Wayne Watts, has served as Master of Ceremonies all seven years is always prepared, moves the program along quickly and efficiently. Adam Smith ramrods the impressive audio/visual team. We regularly are complimented on the quality and professionalism of our A/V and Adam and his team does an amazing job. Gayle Kammerer handles the decorations and helps with set-up and generally anything else that needs done. In years past the Sutterfield family have been indispensable volunteers to Gayle’s team, but this year they will unfortunately be on vacation. The Sutterfield children are amazing workers and a tribute to their mom and dad, Richard and Sally Sutterfield. We will miss them this year.
*****
Cindy Hale has handled seating every year, which is a task not unlike herding cats, but it always seemed people were directed to their tables quickly and without a lot of confusion. Julie McKinney is in charge of the auction and does an amazing job at organizing all the donations we get for the auction. Kirk and Connie Schreiner always help with set-up cooking, and anything else that needs to be done. Kirk’s mom Ruth Schreiner has been a Republican volunteer back when GOP meetings were held in a phone booth. Ruth’s homemade cookies are always a huge hit and are always a popular auction item. Leon and Delois Farris, the SCGOP’s representatives on the State GOP Committee, are involved in everything from set-up to cooking. Rod Barnes and Steifiel and Laura Johnson always handle the check-in table. With a crowd that large you have to have an organized system and they never cease to amaze me. Senator Anthony Sykes has provided the drinks for all seven years. Representative Dennis Johnson’s team serves the desserts which are prepared by dozens of volunteers. Dozens of others serve, prepare foods, help set up, man booths, and do tasks that are too numerous to mention.
*****
One volunteer that deserves more credit than anyone in making our Fish Fry a success is Danny Thomas. We simply could not have the Fish Fry without Danny and Joyce Thomas. They procure the fish, trim and bread it and then cook it. Danny is a perfectionist when it comes to getting the fish right. His cooking team includes his parents, Bill and Ruth Thomas, Bob Mitchell, Emmet Hamilton, Dwight Fair, Kirk Schreiner, and Leon Farris.
*****
When Danny turned 60, his family gave him a 17 gallon Cajun Cooker Fish Fryer, which was really a gift to the SCGOP. Since then, the Party has purchased two of our own, so three large cookers are what will fry up the fish and hushpuppies on Saturday May 21st when we hold our 7th annual Fish Fry. It will be in the Stephens County Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena, starting at 6pm. U.S. Senator Tom Coburn will be our keynote speaker.
*****
The Stephens County Fish Fry is not your typical political event. The mood is festive and causal, but the cause is serious. Please plan to attend this year. You can email or call me for more information.
*****
Last year, former Congressman J.C. Watts spoke to over 850 people. The Canadian Valley Rangerettes, an equestrian drill team, performed. The SCGOP Fish Fry was the largest single gathering of Republicans in the state of Oklahoma in 2010. Sufficient money to provide the headquarters for the 2010 election cycle was raised. Most people don’t know it but, the national and state Republican Party do not help fund the local headquarters. That is why it is so important to have a successful annual fundraising event that is not only well attended, but raises money.
*****
The SCGOP Fish Fry is a unique event because all the food preparation, cooking, serving, set-up, clean up is done by volunteers. That helps us keep the ticket price low and allows us to ‘net’ out more profit. It also gets more people engaged in the process which builds comrade. Many close personal relationships have resulted from shared involvement by volunteers who met for the first time at the Fish Fry.
*****
As you might expect, an operation of this magnitude requires an army of volunteers. I can’t mention everyone, but I will name a few. Wayne Watts, has served as Master of Ceremonies all seven years is always prepared, moves the program along quickly and efficiently. Adam Smith ramrods the impressive audio/visual team. We regularly are complimented on the quality and professionalism of our A/V and Adam and his team does an amazing job. Gayle Kammerer handles the decorations and helps with set-up and generally anything else that needs done. In years past the Sutterfield family have been indispensable volunteers to Gayle’s team, but this year they will unfortunately be on vacation. The Sutterfield children are amazing workers and a tribute to their mom and dad, Richard and Sally Sutterfield. We will miss them this year.
*****
Cindy Hale has handled seating every year, which is a task not unlike herding cats, but it always seemed people were directed to their tables quickly and without a lot of confusion. Julie McKinney is in charge of the auction and does an amazing job at organizing all the donations we get for the auction. Kirk and Connie Schreiner always help with set-up cooking, and anything else that needs to be done. Kirk’s mom Ruth Schreiner has been a Republican volunteer back when GOP meetings were held in a phone booth. Ruth’s homemade cookies are always a huge hit and are always a popular auction item. Leon and Delois Farris, the SCGOP’s representatives on the State GOP Committee, are involved in everything from set-up to cooking. Rod Barnes and Steifiel and Laura Johnson always handle the check-in table. With a crowd that large you have to have an organized system and they never cease to amaze me. Senator Anthony Sykes has provided the drinks for all seven years. Representative Dennis Johnson’s team serves the desserts which are prepared by dozens of volunteers. Dozens of others serve, prepare foods, help set up, man booths, and do tasks that are too numerous to mention.
*****
One volunteer that deserves more credit than anyone in making our Fish Fry a success is Danny Thomas. We simply could not have the Fish Fry without Danny and Joyce Thomas. They procure the fish, trim and bread it and then cook it. Danny is a perfectionist when it comes to getting the fish right. His cooking team includes his parents, Bill and Ruth Thomas, Bob Mitchell, Emmet Hamilton, Dwight Fair, Kirk Schreiner, and Leon Farris.
*****
When Danny turned 60, his family gave him a 17 gallon Cajun Cooker Fish Fryer, which was really a gift to the SCGOP. Since then, the Party has purchased two of our own, so three large cookers are what will fry up the fish and hushpuppies on Saturday May 21st when we hold our 7th annual Fish Fry. It will be in the Stephens County Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena, starting at 6pm. U.S. Senator Tom Coburn will be our keynote speaker.
*****
The Stephens County Fish Fry is not your typical political event. The mood is festive and causal, but the cause is serious. Please plan to attend this year. You can email or call me for more information.
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