Aging membership rosters and insufficient funding to cover operational costs is a typical plight for a social organization these days, and the Leetonia Italian-American Club (ITAM) is no different. They kicked off their busiest fundraising time during the day of January, when they will be slinging fish for the next couple months.

Kelly Knapp, who is a past president of the organization, could be found starting the prep work late night before that debut, starting her special pasta fagioli sauce to simmer. While the pasta fagioli usually is not the star of the show at a fish fry, it highlights what does draw diners to these events, which feature flavors like one’s Italian grandmother used to prepare it back in the day.