For several decades, the Door County Fish, Farm & Game Club has been working hard to preserve & promote hunting, fishing & trapping in the county. But the organization is also in the business of helping the less fortunate. Case in point, the club’s annual salmon processing program for local pantries. Dick Baudhuin says the project began about five years ago when, rather than allow salmon from the DNR’s Strawberry Creek facility to be sent to the landfill, the club was given permission to distribute the fish locally. Baudhuin says many pantries simply provide the whole fish to their clients, but things had to be done differently in Door County…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/N1605.mp3|titles=Dick Baudhuin]
Bauduin expressed appreciation to Keith & Jackie Birnschein for allowing the club to use their processing facility. He says about 20 volunteers get the job done each year…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/N1606.mp3|titles=Dick Baudhuin]
After several years of receiving the salmon at no cost, things changed this year when the DNR decided to put the fish out for bid…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/N1607.mp3|titles=Dick Baudhuin]
Baudhuin says he bid a penny per fish this year, not a bad price to pay for a program that will feed hundreds of families in Door County.