Program accepting frozen fish and wild game donations to feed elder, disabled and poor

Anglers asked to donate to The Lord is My Help Food Kitchen in Ocean Springs.

The speckled trout are really starting to stack up — in the freezer.

The mild temperatures and lack of rain have resulted in trout being caught along the Mississippi coast’s beaches to miles up coastal rivers, and Joey Davis and Kendall Sauls of Ocean Springs have been stocking their freezers on these fishing trips.

And now, with their freezers filling up, the anglers are looking to give back to their community by donating fish to an Ocean Springs food kitchen to help feed the elderly, disabled and poor.“Too much of a good thing can be a good thing” said Joey Davis.

Capt. Chris Bush of Southern Salt Charters is spearheading the effort to stock The Lord Is My Help Food Kitchen this weekend (Dec. 21-22).

“With Christmas a week away and the new year upon us, I thought it would be fitting to do a frozen food drive for The Lord is My Help Food Kitchen …,” Bush explained. “The idea is to encourage my fellow sportsman to donate frozen fish or wild game to clean out their freezer in preparation for 2013, and to also give back to our community.”

The Lord is My Help is a non-profit, non-denominational organization aimed at feeding the elderly, ill, disabled, poor and indigent in Jackson and Harrison counties. The food kitchen has been providing this service since 1984, serving more than 4,500 meals a month. That totals 55,000 meals annually — and it’s all done with by volunteers.

Donations of frozen fish or wild game will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at two coastal locations:

• A&A Marine Hardware
111 W. 2nd St
Pass Christian, MS 39571
228.452.5600

• Sea 2 Swamp
4850 Gautier/Vancleave RD.
Gautier, MS 39534
228.202.5123

A raffle will be held on Saturday (Dec. 22) at both sites from among all participants, with the winners receiving tackle packs consisting of Matrix Shad soft plastics and other assorted prizes.

“As sportsman, we know what’s it’s like to take or conserve, but as people and as a society we know when it’s time to give rather than to receive.” Bush said. “Let’s all do what we can, and get the holiday and new year started off right.”