Fish fry to find funds for new memorial

The steering committee for an upcoming mariners’ memorial will be holding its first spring fundraiser this weekend.

Taking advantage of the warmer weather, an outdoor fish fry event has been scheduled for 5 p.m. this Sunday at Heritage Harbor. The meal will also feature a silent auction for a number of submitted items.

A monument dedicated to Wrangell’s seafaring traditions and its community members lost at sea has been a goal for a decade and a half. After financing designs for a memorial at Heritage Harbor, by early 2017 the Port Commission established a five-person committee to navigate the fundraising process for construction. It was reasoned at the time that a private corporation would be better suited to the task than a municipal body.

A longtime proponent now on the resulting committee, Brennon Eagle said their approach so far has been to focus first on seeking individual support. To this end, the memorial committee has been cultivating memberships, with small contributions of $50 or more indicating support for the project.

The committee is also in the process of securing larger sponsorships from business owners and fishermen, as well as in-kind support from contractors able to work on construction. With enough names and organizations behind it, Eagle explained, it will improve the committee’s opportunity for obtaining larger grant funds needed to complete the project.

“We’re still working on some larger corporate donations,” he said.

Applications for larger grants would follow once those are in place, as timing is a consideration. Some funding sources have timetables attached to their use, and it would be important to make sure everything else is in place before securing these. “You don’t want to get your grants too soon,” said Eagle.

Already this year a cocktail and auction event held in February boosted the first phase of memberships and so far some 235 individuals have shown their support.

The site of the dinner will be at the future location of the prospective memorial, overlooking the harbor near its landing ramp. Eagle explained it will be an opportunity to help supporters visualize what is in store for the location.

The event will also be marked by a blessing of Wrangell’s fleet with the aid of the local Ministerial Association. Part of the memorial’s site selection had such displays in mind, and its nearness both to the harbor and its view of the nearby strait better ties the memorial to its intended purpose. A blessing of the fleet ahead of the upcoming commercial fishing seasons is a big function the committee would like to see integrated with the future memorial, and Eagle was glad to see the WMA is keen to be involved.

“They’re excited to give this a try,” he said.

Organizers for the fish fry have had support from a number of sources already in putting on the event, such as high school art students putting together a sign heralding the “Home of the Future Wrangell Mariners’ Memorial.” The group is still looking for additional support, either with volunteered time or donated food items. Those interested or able to help can contact committee chair Jenn Miller at wrgmarmem@gmail.com

The memorial committee will also be selling newly designed T-shirts, which will be unveiled at Sunday’s supper. For more information, see the memorial website at http://www.wrangellmarinersmemorial.com.