Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
BLACKSBURG- The Mount Tabor Ruritan Club hosted their second Fish Fry of the summer on June 8, 2024 in the Picnic Shelter at Slusser’s Chapel in Blacksburg.
The Blacksburg Mount Tabor Ruritan Club hosts five fish fries during the summers, from May to September, on the second Saturday of each month as a fundraiser for the club’s community service activities. The fish fries also connect people with their community, provide them with entertainment with live music – and fill the attendee’s bellies with highly anticipated dinners. The Ruritan Fish Fry was so popular that residents were present and in line well before the event started at 5 p.m. June 8, 2024. The Mount Tabor Ruritan Club will also partner with other organizations like the Imagination Library to give residents a chance to connect and eat with their community. The proceeds from the fish fries go to supporting local organizations. Once the Fish Fries are over on September 14, 2024, the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club will begin preparing for their second popular fundraising event: making apple butter. They make over 330 gallons of apple butter per year and they sell out quickly.
The proceeds from this summer’s fish fries and the apple butter sales in the fall allow the Mount Tabor Ruritan club to support its community by donating to local organizations, local nonprofits organizations and award scholarships to local high school students who would like to further their education. They have been supporting their community since 1965 and are dedicated to supporting local communities as their core values are: “Fellowship, Community and Good Will.”
Residents lined up for fresh fried fish with smiles, their families and many stated they never miss a fish fry because the food is “that good”. Blacksburg Emergency Medical Services were present at the Saturday fish fry and while ensuring their community was safe, they enjoyed the live music as the band played songs like “Yankee Doodle” and the popular “Armed Forces Medley”. The next Fish Fry of the summer will be July 13, 2024.