FISH EYES WAY TO DEAL WITH INFLUX OF RECIPIENTS

Welfare reform affects everything, even the FISHes.

The volunteer FISH organization will adjust some procedures to accommodate an anticipated growing number of recipients, former FISH president the Rev. William Burke said.

FISH volunteers met Thursday night at their 17th annual banquet to install new officers and see where the organization is headed for the next fiscal year.

Burke, last year's president, said the organization will change according to the resources available. FISH will work with case workers who deal with senior adult organizations to get food to people who might be too proud to ask for it.

"These case workers are in the home and they see the need," Burke said.

The group will also work with the Salvation Army to provide overnight lodging. FISH helps pay for the accommodations but the Salvation Army actually arranges the lodging, Burke said.

"We realize we're facing a changing situation with dwindling welfare and we'll be facing greater needs," he said.

Even though Burke will no longer be FISH president, he will remain involved with the group.

"This is one of the smoothest running organizations you'd ever want to be a part of," Burke said. "Being president of something like this is a joy."

Last year, FISH volunteers served 1,517 people, including 326 new clients. They provided food to 1,236 people. Some 1,390 people had requested food. The group also provided utilities to 171 people. Some 309 requests were made. FISH also provided medicine to 138 people. There were 172 requests.

Gasoline was given to 51 people and lodging to 13 people. Sixty-one people had requested gasoline and 17 people sought lodging.

Incoming president, the Rev. Art Hunt, said he's looking forward to the challenge the government will impose on local welfare providers.

"As government pushes that sort of thing to a local level, organizations like FISH and the Salvation Army will be called upon to pick up the slack," Hunt said. "That's the way it should be."

Besides Hunt, officers installed were Shirley Stephens, vice president; the Rev. James Caughlan, secretary; Jim Atwood, treasurer; Roger Scot, head of food pantry; Billie Roth, head of the telephone; Gil Degenhardt, head of publicity; Bill Askew, at-large representative; Bonnie Kipper, statistician; and Harold Werner, head of medicine.

Degenhardt, the banquet's main speaker, detailed the working of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.