Hub Staff

Although it was a wet start to the day on Saturday, September 19, the rain held off for the most part, despite a blustery wind and grey clouds, for the Liv-A-Little Perch Fish Fry, hosted by KLM Automotive in Southampton between 4pm and 8pm.

A short downpour midway through the event, where families just moved inside, didn't stop a constant run of people from start to finish coming out for their dinner and helping a great cause.

Perch and fries were on offer for $15 per adult and $5 per child, with a cash bar also available. All proceeds going to the Liv-A-Little Foundation, which raises funds for cystinosis, a rare metabolic disease that afflicts only 75 children and young adults in Canada, and only 2,000 worldwide.

Vocalist Kristen Hawley, along with Derek Caven on guitar, all the way from Stratford, entertained with country music, while people ate and socialized and children were happy drawing on the tarmac outside with large sized chalk.

Marc LaBlance, owner of KLM Automotive who organized the event along with his wife, Kara, said that they had seen the Liv-A-Little Foundation fundraising around Saugeen Shores and wanted to help out.

They had arranged for enough fish for 350 people and Kara LaBlance praised family and friends who were cooking the food and also the Southampton Rotary Club. “Rotary rents out their fryers but they were kind enough to give us them for the event,” she said.

At the end of the day over $4,500 had been raised and approximately 325 people had been fed. "We're pretty pleased, we didn't know what we were in for," said Kara LaBlance, adding that they would like to make it an annual event.