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WILKES-BARRE — Pat Baran stepped into the church hall at St. Andre Bessette Parish late Ash Wednesday afternoon, spotted Jackie Barkus and gave her a high five.
“We did it!” said Baran, who was flushed with triumph after she and Barkus, both of Wilkes-Barre, had helped deliver 77 fish dinners to local high-rise residents.
Now the two volunteers had a chance to mingle with friends and neighbors who stopped by the church hall for take-out as well as the diners who stayed in the church hall and sat down to a meal of fried fish, baked potatoes, applesauce and cole slaw.
Yes, there was dessert, too. “Eighty percent of it is homemade,” Dolores Yesuvida said proudly as she arranged pieces of chocolate cake, pineapple squares and other pastries.
“You know we’re not supposed to eat between meals when you’re fasting,” volunteer waiter David Alusick said as he eyed the goodies. “How about if I just take one of the desserts and make it my meal?”
Alusick seemed to be joking about turning a piece of cake into a meal, but his remark hinted at the dietary aspects of Lent. If they follow church tradition, most Catholic adults fast, or eat only smaller meals, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and they refrain from meat on those days plus on six Fridays during Lent.
In keeping with that tradition, places like Good Shepherd Polish National Catholic Church in Plymouth and Immaculate Conception Church in Berwick will offer fish dinners every Friday through March 18 while the Chinchilla Hose Company in South Abington Township will sell pizza every Friday.
The meat-free meals are fundraisers and at St. Andre Bessette, the Ash Wednesday fish dinner supported the parish social justice ministry, which is devoted to all sorts of good deeds.
“When my cousin was in the hospital, she showed up with a poinsettia. It meant a lot to him,” Florence McCabe said with a nod toward dinner organizer Anna Hudock.
Quick to give credit to at least 20 volunteers, Hudock said they spent hours making deliveries as well as cooking and cleaning up in the church hall. And they’re grateful to Senior Branch 350 of the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association, a fraternal group that promised to match funds raised at the dinner.
“It’s all for a good cause,” said David Gryskevicz, of Bear Creek Township, who kept busy helping Ken Burke, of Pittston Township, fry some 240 pieces of haddock. Gryskevicz enjoys volunteering so much, he helps cook at several church bazaars, even places where he’s not a member.
Volunteering is a great way to get to know people, said Dennis Bozinski, of Wilkes-Barre, explaining he “married into” the parish when he exchanged vows with his wife, Ann, 25 years ago.
“I was known as ‘her husband’ for a while, but now I’m part of the group,” he said, describing his duties on Wednesday as being a runner. “I run to get whatever they need. Right now, I’m running to the refrigerator.”
While Bozinski dashed about, Yesuvida offered a tray of desserts to diners Maria and Frank Buczynski, of Plains, who thanked her in Polish, “Dziekuje.” Yesuvida knew how to respond “Prosze bardo” because she had learned the Eastern European language from her grandmother while growing up.
Alusick, the waiter, was already thinking about another church-related project — a search for props the Rev. Ken Seegar will use in one of his “very engaging” sermons. “Does anyone have a caftan?” Alusick said.
Seriously, if you have a caftan to loan, call Alusick at 570-823-4988. And if you’re hungry, check the Times Leader’s Good Eats column Wednesdays for more information about dinners sponsored by churches and other non-profit groups.
