The Wrangell Mariners' Memorial Board will be hosting a fish fry at the future memorial site, by Heritage Harbor, this Friday at 5 p.m. The fish fry is one of the memorial's bigger fundraisers, according to Board President Jenn Miller-Yancey. The event will be pay-what-you-want for a plate of food, she said, but $20 is the suggested minimum. Besides a seafood dinner, Miller-Yancey said that attendees can also participate in a silent auction full of items that the community has donated for the event.
She is hoping for a large turnout for the fish fry, she said. Not only would it show how much support the Mariners' Memorial has in the community, but it could also be a major financial boost to the project. Back in July, the board received a Rasmuson "challenge grant." For every dollar the Mariners' Memorial can raise until July 1, 2020, the Rasmuson Foundation will match it. The grant is capped at $25,000, Miller-Yancey explained in a previous interview, and the money raised has to be spent within the same year. As of Saturday, Aug. 24, she said that $12,500 has been raised so far.
"Things are moving along," she said. "I feel like maybe we've slowed down a little bit. It kind of, like, goes fast, goes slow, but having the event coming up shortly will be a big boost for us. We're looking and hoping for a big turnout."
Construction of the memorial itself is underway. The ground for the memorial was broken late last December. Groundwork has been underway since then, and Miller-Yancey said that they are preparing to pour concrete for the memorial's base soon. She also said that plaques for the memorial, to commemorate Wrangellites lost at sea, will also be seen in the near future. They hope to start taking applications for plaques sometime around next spring. More information about the memorial can be found at http://www.wrangellmarinersmemorial.com.
Volunteers are wanted for the fish fry. Those interested in helping out should contact Miller-Yancey at (907) 305-0926.
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