For years, the Ukrainian American Community Center in Minneapolis has hosted a fish fry on Fridays during Lent, the weeks of religious observance ahead of Easter in the Christian faith. 

Fish fries are a Lenten ritual for many Christian communities in the United States who abstain from eating meat on Fridays with the exception of fish, which is seen as an acceptable alternative.  

Despite this, Dima Blyshchak said organizers were unprepared for the influx of attendees at their first community meal of the season. 

He said close to 1,500 people stopped by and volunteers had to turn people away when every dish ran out. 

“This was a record day,” said Blyshchak, who serves as president for the Ukrainian American Community Center. 

He said the turnout was in part due to the number of Ukrainian refugees who moved to Minnesota after being displaced by Russia’s invasion of their home country.  

He said many others in the northeast Minneapolis neighborhood also wanted to show solidarity with Ukraine in light of President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“I can't even explain. I have no words,” said Blyschak. “This is very emotional for everyone. People keep coming here, emotionally helping us, supporting us, and we are so thankful…because this is something that Ukraine, Ukrainian people, Ukrainian community, needed at this point right now.” 

The Ukrainian American Community Center plans to continue hosting fish fry dinners on Fridays through April 11. The meals feature traditional pierogies with live Ukrainian music on certain days. Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Ensemble is a co-host. 

Proceeds from the fish fry are being split between humanitarian aid to Ukraine and the community center. 

Collected from Minnesota Public Radio News. View original source here.