The annual Orcas Lions Club salmon barbeque will be on Saturday July 5 at the American Legion hall. “The Fourth of July celebration wouldn’t be complete without attending our wild salmon BBQ. We’ve been sponsoring it for 33 years,” says Toby Hiller, a long time Orcas Lion.

Each year a group of Lions’ ‘BBQ chefs’ put together the secret sauce that, when added, “enhances the fresh flavor of the wild salmon, that makes it one of our locale’s most popular fish entrées,” says Don Webster, former Orcas Lions president.

“I’ve never tasted anything so delicious. We give the public a chance to enjoy a mouth-watering entree of their own by selling the sauce recipe on site the day of the BBQ,” Duff Andrews, another long time Lion member, added.

For decades the sauce has been a closely-kept secret. Many years ago Billie Wilson, a charter Orcas Lions member, came up with the sauce and never told anyone the secret recipe. On his death bed he dictated the recipe to another old time member, Roy Hillyer, who then entrusted it to Dick Bobert, who guards it to this day. The day Billie dictated the recipe he stated, “You can give it out, but whoever gets it has to make a $25 donation to the Lions.” And so it is the time-honored tradition of several generations.

The Lions have kept the tradition of staying with wild salmon despite the soaring cost. Included in the dinner are traditional side dishes and for dessert, the Orcas congregation of St. Francis Catholic Church will be offering strawberry shortcake. The cost of the dinner is $17 for adults, $8 for children and $5 for a kids’ hot dog dinner. The strawberry shortcake is $3.50 per person.

The BBQ begins after the parade from 1 to 7 p.m. on July 5th. Tickets can be purchased in advance through Cherie Lindholm Real Estate, Kay’s Antiques, Island Hardware and Windermere Real Estate. Tickets will also be available at the July 5 parade.