LAMBERTVILLE: Firehouse’s Lenten fish fry tradition to end on April 18

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   Last Friday, March 6, Lambertville’s Columbia Fire Company held the first of this year’s Lenten Fish Fries. The long-standing annual event will continue for the next six Fridays, culminating on Good Friday, April 18. This is the 32nd consecutive year the Columbia Fire Company at 177 N. Union St. has hosted its Lenten fish fry. It will also be the last year.
   The Lambertville Board of Fire Commissioners has decided to disband Columbia.
   ”We’re not sure yet where we’ll go,” said Cynthia Strauss, deputy chief of Columbia, where she’s been 15 years. “We’ll be merged with one of the city’s three other fire companies — we’re not sure which one yet. It’s an individual decision as well. Some of our members may decide, on their own, to join one of the other companies. Which one they join is up to them.”
   In addition to being Columbia’s deputy chief and secretary, Ms.Strauss, a fourth-generation Lambertville firefighter, has been in charge of the fish fry for eight years.
   ”The fish fry has been our biggest fundraiser,” said Ms. Strauss, whose father Ronald Tillett Jr. and grandfather Ronald Tillett are both still members of Columbia. “It’s like running a restaurant for seven weeks. Each week, we’ll sell at least 150 meals in two and one-half hours. Due to the low manpower, we have in the firehouse now, friends and neighbors of the firehouse help us out with the fish fry. They’re literally part of our firehouse family. They’re so sad to see us go. People have called us on the phone about our departure. Some of them were literally in tears.”
   Ms. Strauss shares in their sense of loss. “It’s a very emotional thing,” she said, her voice breaking. “I look forward to the fish fry every year. I’ve been coming to it since I was a child. They literally started it the year I was born. The fact that this won’t be happening anymore is very upsetting. But, change happens, and you have to adapt to it.”
   She said she’ll definitely join another firefighting unit in the city, but isn’t sure which one.
   ”We’re down to six or seven members here,” she said. “A lot have already transferred. I will, too, but not I’m not sure where yet.”
   The fish fry will be held the next five Fridays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. On Good Friday, it will be held from noon to 7:30 p.m.