Oakalla VFD holds annual fish fry and auction

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

The Oakalla Volunteer Fire Department held its annual fish fry and auction on Saturday night. 
Prep for the all-you-can-eat meal was done by volunteers, who served up 450 pounds of hand-breaded deep fried catfish, along with French fries, hush puppies, and cole slaw. 
For dessert there was a 50-50 bake sale, with the proceeds being split between Oakalla’s library and community center.
OVFD fire chief Aaron Weeks said the recipe for the fish fry coating is a secret, as are the recipes for the beans and coleslaw prepared annually by volunteers. 
Going along with the fish fry were live and silent auctions, and drawings for rifles and a bow.  Items were donated by individuals as well as local businesses 
Items included gift baskets, tools, jewelry, quilts and afghans, home décor, furniture, luggage, children’s bicycles, and more. During the evening, several 52-card drawings were held for rifles . 
In addition to donated items, a number of baked items were up for sale, to include pecan pies baked by Skeeter Smith, one of which went for a whopping $255.
Saturday night’s proceeds are going toward the future purchase of equipment that will come in handy as the temperatures in central Texas hit the century mark.
“We’re going to be shooting for a new brush truck,” Weeks said. Conditions are becoming increasingly dry, and with the onslaught of summer, conditions won’t improve.
Past auctions have helped purchase new radios, updated protective gear, vehicles and more for the OVFD.
This year, the fire department has recently seen a new parking lot and has been able to redo its bathrooms and floors, said Weeks.
The annual fish fry, held for more than 20 years, will be followed by the department’s all-you-can-eat fajita dinner in November.