LAURINBURG — It wasn’t only the freshly cooked flounder or golden brown hush puppies that had cars lined around Optimist Park.
A chance to help young people play baseball was also a big part of the draw.
The Optimist Club of Laurinburg Spring Fish Fry saw nearly 3,000 visitors. The club’s lunch and dinner fundraiser on Wednesday hoped to raise $9,000.
“This is for the children, I had two kids that came through the program,” said Optimist Tommy Brigman, whose own children participate in Optimist baseball. “It was a good time for me so I am trying to provide that opportunity to another family.”
Optimist Club is run by volunteers, including more than 50 volunteers who cooked, plated meals, sold tickets and worked the drive through and deliveries of Saturday’s fish fry.
Throughout the year, the volunteers also give their time umpiring games, taking care of the fields, working concessions, and selling Christmas trees.
The organization was founded in 1961 and has set its goal towards bringing out the best in kids.
Those who came to support and be “friends of youth” enjoyed flounder, shrimp, and chicken plates, all of which accompanied with coleslaw, hush puppies, and a cookie.
“I have been coming out to the fish fry for 20 years to support the Optimist Club and youth her in the county,” said Eddie Smith, an investigator with the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office, who brought his daughter, Jenna, to enjoy a plate.
The fundraiser, along with the club’s fall fish fry, Christmas tree sale, and chocolate bar sale go toward allowing youth from all backgrounds to play baseball at no cost.“The only thing the kids have to do is sell the ‘World’s Finest Chocolate’ for the chocolate sale,” Brigman said.
The baseball club is able to provide the opportunity to play baseball and softball for more than 500 boys and girls a year, something that is unheard of in other communities, Weaver said. “New families that come to sign up can’t believe there are no fees.”
“This is my first time volunteering with the plate sale and it has been fun,” said Frances Willis, whose sons played ball through Optimist. “I happy with the turnout, it has been really good.”
The Optimists were able to sell more than 300 plates through the drive-thru and delivery.
“I would say about 60 percent of our sales come during lunch,” said Jim Weaver, the fundraiser’s co-chairman who has been helping with the event for the past 15 years.
With the spring fundraiser finished and the baseball club focused on the fall fish fry, one improvement the club hopes to make is the efficiency of the drive-thru.
“We just wish we could get more people to call ahead when they come for a big pickup,” Brigman said. “That way we will try to have it ready for them and keeps the line flowing.”
Optimist International is a global volunteer organization made up of more than 2,500 local clubs whose members work to make the future brighter by bringing out the best in children, in their communities, and in themselves, according to the organization.
For information about Optimist Club of Laurinburg, email [email protected] or visit its website, https://www.facebook.com/Optimist-Club-of-Laurinburg-NC-169489909730416/.
