NEWS

S.O.N.S. Sponsored Presque Isle Clean Up April 27, 2024

Twenty seven SONS volunteers partnered with PISP state park staff members and the Presque Isle Partnership to sponsor te 85^th Presque Isle Clean Up on April 27^th . The weather started off windy and rainy causing a disappointing number of public participants. Only about 125 pitched in to clean up. Our role as usual was to provide lunch for the participants. We served about 220 hot dogs coffee, orange drinks water and some snacks.

SONS VOLUNTEERS HOLD FISH FRY FOR THE EMMAUS SOUP KITCHEN

On Friday October 4, 2024  twenty SONS of Lake Erie volunteers set up a truckload of equipment at the Emmaus Soup Kitchen on East 11th St. In Erie. All these logistics were in preparation for our annual fish fry that is prepared for our less fortunate brothers and sisters. For about ten years now we have produced this event at this facility. More than 100 lbs of walleye fillets were trimmed, battered and fried for serving to over two hundred clients of the soup kitchen. In addition to the walleye fillets the dinner included rolls potato salad and coleslaw. The meals are packed into takeout trays and paper bags and the clients can either take away for consumption elsewhere or may be enjoyed on the premises. The walleye for the fish fry were donated by members of our fishing community who participated in three separate fishing tournaments that were held this summer. This fish fry would not take place without their generous support. Thanks are also in order for SONS Director Chuck Miller for taking the lead in planning these annual events and for the rest of our volunteers who worked preparing and serving the meals.  Many of them generously volunteer every year.

SONS 2024 PARTNER APPRECIATION FISH FRY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS

For over 40 years now the SONS of Lake Erie has held a fish fry for all of our partners. Our partners list includes our local, state and federal legislators, public officials, members of entities, agencies and commissions such as the DEP, DCNR, CZM, PFBC, EWPPA, PA Sea Grant, Regional Science Consortium etc. all who which we have worked with us throughout the years to promote public accessibility, protect our fishery and promote the interests of the fishing community and our club members.

This year the fish fry was held on Wednesday September 4, 2024 at the picnic facility located at the Bay Harbor East Marina. The facility is one of the finest on our bayfront but in spite of this, the event requires quite a bit of logistical effort and pre planning. We set up tents, bring in extra tables, chairs, cooking tools, coolers,  deep fryers, pans, bowls, paper plates, utensils, ice, table cloth and more. Most of the above was brought in the day before ready to set up and organize.

Over twenty SONS volunteers joined in to help set up starting at 8:30 AM. The group split into teams each led by one or more of our dedicated directors who set up the tents, covered the tables, set up the frying station, the sign in tables serving tables and the kitchen. A group of about 10 volunteers brought in cutting boards and filet knives to trim the over 100 pounds of walleye fillets. They carefully inspected each removing bones and less desirable portions of the fillet and then cut them into sandwich size pieces. This process took nearly two hours.

Bob Zawadzki who has planned these fish fry’s for over forty year arrived with the trays of salads, coleslaw and beans at 10:45. The kitchen crew led by Jack Bock with the help of Sandy Brown The beer batter which was pre mixed dry by former SONS Pres. Ralph Corvaglia was finished by mixing in the beer and eggs by former VP Bill Brown The fryer crew including John Krupinski, Ralph Friend, John Kovach and Joe Chmielewski and runners led by Chuck Mller started battering and frying the filets. The serving team included Larry Lipinski,. Ray Halt, Bert Camp, Mary Runser and Rich Cass. The guests started arriving about 11:00 AM but by then everything was up and running to serve them. Rich Brine, Tom Nichols, Ron Morrow and Tom Pruzenski signed in the guests who were met and greeted by Ed Kissell and Jerry Skrypzak and Jack Klapthor. The welcome team helped 83 of the guests with renewing their memberships and many of them purchased raffle tickets while others made donations. About 130 guests came to enjoy the day.

September 4^th was an absolutely perfect day with light winds and moderate temperatures. Thank you to all who helped create a successful event.. Another thank you goes out to Heidi and Gerard who came out from retirement and the Bayshore Marina Manager, Tim Schmitt and Crew for their help and the use of the facility.

Holland Street Fishing Pier Project Completed

On Oct 16, 2018 - The PA Fish and Boat Commission approved a grant for an Erie Access Improvement Program grant in the amount of $382,400 to the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority. Grant dollars generated through the sale of special Lake Erie fishing permits will fund the construction of a 130-foot handicapped accessible fishing platform at the Holland Street Pier.

Two years later the engineering is complete and the bids have been awarded. It was a bit scary for a few days. Bids for the project were open on September 22, 2020. Perry Construction Co. was the low bidder at $552,000, far more than the  $382,410 appropriated by the  grant, fearing that the project was in jeopardy. A few days later the Erie Western PA Port Authority voted to provide an additional $220,000 to complete the project. They also revealed that they are planning other improvements to the Holland St. Pier including the addition of a nearly 1000 ft long sidewalk to parallel the water’s edge on the East side of the dock.

The SONS of Lake Erie, Friends of Fish Foundation and the General Electric Community Foundation also provided funds toward the project.

Holland Street Pier Dedication

The Erie Western Pennsylvania Port Authority held a dedication ceremony for the newly completed Holland St. Pier on Wednesday June 23^rd at 1:00 pm. SONS Pres. Jerry Skrypzak and Vice President Ed Kissell and our board of directors were invited to participate. The President of the EWPPA, Dave Zimmer and the Executive Director of the EWPPA Brenda Sandberg as well as as other Port Authority members participated too. County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper as well some friends and family were also in attendance. After some preliminary speeches the cover of a plaque was removed. Mr. Zimmer read the inscription on the plaque and to our amazement the sign announced that the pier was dedicated to Jerry Skrypzak and Ed Kissell.

SONS Sponsor New Pavilion For Harborcreek Township  Community Park

For several years  the SONS of Lake Erie and the Wesleyville Conservation Club have partnered with Harborcreek Township’s recreation program by providing a hands on trout fishing experience for kids and their families. We started at Whitford Park and Six Mile Creek but due to high waters we moved the event to the pond at the Harborcreek Community Park. The area is wide open but did not offer shelter from inclement weather for the young anglers.

We voted to provide the funds to buy materials to build a picnic style shelter. The work was completed by Harborcreek maintenance personnel. The beautiful and well-built structure was completed in the early Fall of 2020 and was dedicated on Thursday May 6^th, 2021.

SONS directors, Harborcreek Township Supervisors and maintenance team pose for picture at the pavilion dedication on May 6, 2021

For nearly 20 years in a row the Friends of Fish Foundation, a Philadelphia based philanthropic organization, made a significant contributions to the S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie. Total contributions from this generous group over the those years have exceeded $200,000.00. Sadly the fund has been liquidated and  the balance in it has been distributed to other organizations like us. We are so grateful for their generous support.

Over the years we have used their generous donations to accomplish significant projects including land acquisition at Trout Run, a handicapped accessible ramp at the North Pier, fishing access at the Liberty Pier, hatchery up grades including up grades to  our electrical system and lighting and repairs to our water intake for the hatchery and last year we used it for an engineering study to build a fishing platform on the north end of the Holland St. pier which is now moving forward.  We are very grateful for their years of generosity and wish them success in their future endeavors. Our goal is to hold this last generous donation and apply it to a long lasting improvement to the Lake Erie fishery.

The Friends of Fish Foundation President, Bruce Garland, is an avid steelhead fisherman who travels all the way from Philadelphia to fish Lake Erie. He caught this 35 inch beauty while fishing on 20 Mile Creek in December of 2015.

The Benedictine Sisters of Erie presented their 2015 Prophet of Peace Award to the S.O.N.S. of Lake for their extraordinary efforts to improve fishing on Lake Erie and its Pennsylvania tributaries. Their dedication to promoting the growth and health of the Lake Erie Fishery has resulted in a contribution that is both significant and far-reaching. Their work is indeed a pursuit of justice and peace that is rooted in reverence and respect for all of God’s creation  

“This award recognizes an individual or group that embodies some aspect of the community’s corporate commitment and its concerns for prophetic witness, peace and justice, sustainability, and the needs of women and children,” said Sister Anne Wambach, Prioress. “By their very example and their efforts, the S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie stand before us as an example of what prophets do: call attention to central and pressing issues of their day.”  

The S.O.N.S. received the award at a special Evening Prayer held at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery on the feast of St. Scholastica with a reception following. President of the organization, Jerry Skrypzak, who accepted the award along with Vice President, Ed Kissell, expressed how honored the group was to be chosen: "Wow! I don’t think there are any words to express what I am feeling right now ... thank you for this great honor. It is our pleasure to accept it for doing something we love."