Ready for a feeding frenzy

Andrew Edwards

The sound of sizzling fish is only days away.

Plates topped with deep-fried Alaskan cod and cole slaw await

visitors at the annual Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry,

scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Lions Park.

The fundraiser, which has been a Costa Mesa institution for 58

years, has a new twist this time: A portion of the proceeds is set to

help out Costa Mesa United, the community group that has been pulling

for new athletic facilities at Costa Mesa high schools.

Last year, the fish fry garnered about $27,000 for local

charities, as visitors ate about 2,000 pounds of fish, former Lions

Club President Raul Jara said. Costa Mesa United is set to share the

fish fry’s take with other community groups, such as the Boys & Girls

Club of the Harbor Area, Girls Inc. and the Shalimar Learning Center.

This year’s fish fry will go along the traditional route, Jara and

Lion’s Club member Mike Scheafer said. The two-day event still

includes the Miss Costa Mesa pageant, the Baby Contest and the other

attractions that fish fry visitors have come to expect.

“Basically nothing has changed,” Scheafer said. “There will be

carnival rides, entertainment on stage almost all day, both days --

fish dinners, of course.”

Scheafer, who is set to become president of his Lion’s Club

chapter in July, is also scheduled to be the head cook on Saturday.

For Costa Mesa United supporters, the fish fry comes on the heels

of their Million Dollar Memorial Day drive.

During that effort, Costa Mesa students in the sixth through 12th

grades were encouraged to raise $500 each for the planned athletic

facilities. Tuesday, money raised by the effort was still being

counted.

“Early reports are that it’s been really successful,” Scheafer

said. “We’re well over halfway [to our fundraising goal].”

Costa Mesa United supporters are trying to raise $9.4 million to

build a new athletic stadium at Estancia High School and a 50-meter

swimming pool at Costa Mesa High School. Student athletes at the two

Newport Beach high schools in the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District already enjoy use of a lighted stadium and 50-meter swimming

pools.

Any student who reached the $500 objective is set to earn an iPod

shuffle music player, Costa Mesa United President David Brooks said.

Students who reached the $500 mark will also be eligible for a

raffle that will be held at the fry. The grand prize, Brooks said, is

a $500 scholarship that comes with a $500 cash prize.

“We wanted the kids that are going to be using these facilities to

get involved,” Brooks said.