One of the biggest community events has been cancelled this year due to COVID-19.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church's annual fish fry, which occurs throughout Lent in February and March, was cancelled after the coordinators decided safety was the biggest concern.
Sheri Grove, who along with her husband, Jim, and another couple, have been part of the fish fry since it started 24 years ago.
Grove said after a meeting, the team decided to forgo in-person and takeout orders.
"We're more concerned about the safety of everybody with the virus," she said. "In conclusion, for safety, we held off and we'll see what next year brings. You don't want anyone to get sick."
Grove said though it was the right choice to cancel, it was "bittersweet."
"It was a big decision to not do anything," she said. "It's a big community event."
The event, which holds six fish fries, usually sees around 1,000 people eating at Schwertley Hall, as well as around 500 takeout orders.
"It's a big one and it goes well," Grove said. "Hopefully, by next year, we'll be back open to bring it back."
Grove said she thinks of the fish fry as a "family reunion," as so many people from Fort Calhoun and outside the town join together to eat, and groups like the Boy Scouts and summer Bible school make desserts to sell.
"People look forward to it," she said.
Last year, the fish fries occurred during the start of the pandemic, and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church only served two dinners before it shut down.
"We had the third planned, received our delivery and it was ready to go," Grove said. "We couldn't shove 1,000 people in the hall at the beginning, let alone later on during the year."
Grove said she'll miss watching people mingle in the line, which sometimes stretches all the way to the opposite end of the street.
"I want everybody to be safe," she said. "We look forward to the first day, and by the sixth, we say, 'We made it another year.' I hope and pray next year will bring us all back together."
