Foley fish fry benefits Green family

FOLEY, Ala. (WALA) - Volunteers and off duty Foley police officers spent their day frying mullet and packing to-go plates for hungry customers. 

The fish fry, to benefit the family of murdered Mobile Police Officer Steven Green, has been planned for weeks. Friday it was all hands on deck. Hundreds of pounds of fish, along with baked beans and coleslaw, was on the menu.

“We’re all family,” said Sgt. Tony Nelson with Foley Police. “We wanted to do something for this family even though they’re in Mobile.  We wanted to do something and also get the community involved.”

The community didn’t disappoint. By 11 a.m. there was already a line of folks who turned out for the cause.

“We wanted to support the family and the cause and to let them know that we appreciate our heroes that are out there,” said Foley resident, Regina Moore.

“It’s crowded. I’m surprised, but hey…it goes together,” said Verna Baril. “It’s Friday, it’s fish day and now we’re supporting the Green family.”

The department hoped to sell 400 plates, but with the outpouring of the Foley community, they far surpassed that number. 

Volunteers waved signs along Highway 59 and in the Wal Mart parking lot. Others handed out flyers by the store front. For the hundreds that came to eat, it was much more than enjoying a fresh fish dinner.

Margaret McAllister from Canada picked up a flyer while shopping.

“Actually, the main reason… I’m not fond of fish that much, but I thought it was a good cause so I would suffer,” she said.

The generosity of the community did not go unnoticed by the Foley Police Department.

“They see what we’re doing out here and they’re here to support that officer and that officer’s family and we really appreciate what the community’s done,” said Foley Police Lieutenant David White.

By the time the lunch rush was done the group of volunteers had more than doubled their goal, selling more than 800 box lunches which raised over $8,000 for the Green family. All of the food was donated by local businesses.