First Choice Pregnancy Center hosted their 16th annual Fish Fry on Saturday at Walnut Ridge Farm.

Over 1300 meals were served, while ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction proceeds were all higher than ever before, according to First Choice director Angela Rasnick.

“We are so grateful for this wonderful community,” she said.

The fish is supplied by Randy Canton, who along with a group of friends, spends a week in a cabin in Alabama fishing. They caught and prepared 550 pounds of filleted fish, according to Rasnick.

In addition to fried fish goodness, the event provided a little extra fun with bounce houses, face painting, a zipline and other activities for children as they’ve done for years. But this year, Rasnick said they wanted to provide some new opportunities for everyone to enjoy, such as the Dazzling Dorrells and the Good Golly Goat Rentals.

“My favorite part of the Fish Fry is always seeing so many people in our community come together for a singular cause and watching them enjoy being together. The Fish Fry is a highlight of the year for so many people,” said Rasnick.

She added that there is one family from across the country who always book tickets to fly in for the First Choice Fish Fry.

“We are so grateful and humbled by the support this community shares with us,” Rasnick said.

The proceeds from the Fish Fry provide more than half of the funding for First Choice’s annual budget which supplies support for hundreds of families who are either expecting a baby or parenting a small child.

All of the services of First Choice are free of charge. They provide free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, pregnancy and parenting classes, support for fathers, Anchored - Miscarriage Support Group, Heart to Heart - Abortion Recovery Weekend, and Choices that Challenge Character and Abstinence Program in Bedford County Schools.

“We encourage everyone to follow our Facebook page for up-to-date information about coming events,” Rasnick added