Cline Gore Sr. enjoys his bountiful plate during the Blacksburg High School Marching Band’s fish fry fundraiser Saturday. The Blacksburg High School Band has been known to do some tuning up on a Saturday, but this weekend they were doing more of a cooking up — with the Wildcats’ annual fish fry.

“We usually have two or three of these every year,” said BHS Band Director Shane Dixon. “This is our first one for 2005 but we have decided to only do two this school year. Our focus this year is going to shift a little to emphasize the fruit sale we will have with the FFA later in the year.”

Band parents and students were reeling them in Saturday as the BHS cafeteria was packed with diners for lunch and dinner. The fish fry lasted from 11:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. but preparations and work began much earlier than that.

“I got here about 7:45 this morning,” Dixon said. “But I know some people were here at about 6:45 or so. When I arrived, I started cooking right away. I mixed up about 45, maybe 50 gallons, of hush puppy mix.”

Band students bustled by Dixon as he spoke, one turning the crank on a hush puppy mixer as it dropped the balls of dough into hot grease. In true Southern style, the entire affair seemed to be bathed in grease — and flavor.

“This is really delicious,” said Cline Gore Sr. as he ate with his family. “We come every year, not just for the quality, but also for the quantity. And this is a very good cause. We had children in the band and now we have our granddaughters, Morgan Earp and Ashley Gore in the band too.”

Gore pointed to his plate, still piled high with fish filets, French fries, hush puppies and golden chicken tenders. Plates were sold for $7.50. The money will be used to help the Marching Wildcats on their quest for another state championship.

“This year our program is themed around driving West on Route 66,” said Dixon. “Music and choreographywise, our original plan was to start in the East and work our way across the country. But, right now it works out to where we just sort of peter out in Texas. Of course, Texas is pretty west of here,” he laughed. “Anyway, we’re doing an all Eagles show — with some of that band’s greatest hits as our selections. But, as I say, we don’t make it all the way west...but, you know, gas is really expensive right now.”