Teen center raises tilapia for Union Gospel Mission

  • Published
  • By Scott King
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFNS) --  Teens attending the Fairchild Teen Center here are raising Tilapia -- a freshwater fish -- that will help feed homeless people year-round at the Spokane Union Gospel Mission.

The youth program here is very active in supporting various efforts to improve quality of life for people on base and in the surrounding communities, said Eric Richmire, the 92nd Force Support Squadron assistant chief of youth programs.

"We support numerous community service projects at the teen center," he said. "We volunteer to assist in most of the typical food and clothing drives. The idea of a fish farm was so appealing because it's something new and different for the teens, and it's very interactive."

The idea for helping feed homeless people through fish farming was brought to life by Ryan Gagnon, the student community employment program intern at the teen center. He learned about raising tilapia at a previous job.

When the teen center received funding for the project, Mr. Gagnon started the shopping process for the equipment and the fish. Two hundred newly hatched tilapia were ordered and delivered overnight to the center in October.
The 500-gallon tank was ordered, then 92nd Civil Engineering Squadron members wired new outlets to sustain the tank and pump, and the fish farm was in business.

"I was pretty excited when we were finally up and running," Mr. Gagnon said. "I thought that raising fish to help feed people was a novel concept. Rather than putting non-perishable food in a box for delivery, we can deliver a fresher product for those in need, while teaching our teens a new skill. The whole concept is liked by our teens. It's fairly easy, hands-on, and they get to experience the 'cradle-to-grave' process once the fish are harvested and delivered."

The fish farm is fairly self-sustaining. Two five gallon buckets get drained, and two to three buckets are added daily. The 82.5 degree water is cleaned in a bio-filter, then pumped back into the tank.
The tilapia are fed daily by the teens, and are growing quickly.

"The plan is to nurture their growth until they are about two pounds," Mr. Richmire explained. "When they reach that size, probably around mid-February, we will then harvest and deliver them to the mission to help feed the homeless for a few days. The beauty is we will be doing this year-round, so we can continually support our community."

The teens feel pretty fortunate to be taking part in the process.

"I find it fun looking after the fish everyday, while spending time with my friends," said Robert Stephens, a teen center regular. "We get to help a good cause feeding the homeless people. They have no money and need to eat somehow. It's a good thing we're doing."