Did you attend Family Fun & Ministry Day last Sunday? If you didn’t, I can honestly say that you missed an incredibly special event. It isn’t very often that an inaugural event turns out exactly as you had envisioned. Family Fun & Ministry Day was everything we thought it could be and more. I have to say that this event was a tremendous success and very well coordinated on all accounts. The Men’s Club and their wives did an amazing job in serving food to nearly 800 guests with very little wait time. The food was very good and we did not run out. Many of the ministry booths were located in the ballroom which was filled to capacity the majority of the day giving those ministries plenty of visibility. Outside of the ballroom, we had activities galore for the kids. There was a popcorn stand, a cotton candy stand, a snow cone stand, a craft stand and a cookie walk tent all within twenty feet of the PLC. We had a beautiful tent setup in the field which provided additional seating for 300. Several other ministries were located
in the tent as well as a bar and a band performing everything from Bob Marley to Michael Jackson. There was a dunk tank, a rock climbing wall, a maze, an obstacle course, two bounce houses and a wood workshop. Suffice it to say, there was something for everyone. And now for the thank you’s and there are a lot to go around.
First, I would like to thank you, our parishioners for attending and more importantly, for your RSVP. We had planned that many would neglect to register and simply show up leaving us with a food shortage. This did not happen and, as a matter of fact, the numbers that registered and attended were fairly accurate.
Next, I would like to thank my maintenance staff for their tireless work in preparing the grounds and facilities for this event. They put in a ton of hours and, as a result, everything looked great and flowed very well. Although I already recognized the Men’s Club, I would be remiss for not doing so again. They really made this event a success with great planning and coordination.
Now for those outside the parish – If you saw the massive tent in back of the PLC, I am sure you were as amazed as I was at its beauty. The tent we used was brand new and provided by Sperry Tents. Normally we would not have been able to afford such a tent, but they were very accommodating and worked with us to settle on a price that fit in our budget. Thanks to Nick Kouloheras (parishioner and Habitat for Humanity liaison for St. John) for arranging with Home Depot to provide the wood workshop which the kids really liked. All said, our kids built over 200 wooden birdhouses and race cars. Finally, I would like to thank the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for providing the rock climbing wall completely free of charge. The rock wall was a huge hit and there was a waiting line virtually all day. In addition to providing the wall, three deputies “manned” the wall for the entire event.
We have hosted countless events over my many years at St. John the Evangelist, however, this was by far the best in my humble opinion! It was the epitome of a true parish event, incorporating everyone from toddlers to senior citizens. I will certainly look forward to this event next year.
It is my assumption that many of you have downloaded our St. John the Evangelist “mobile app.” Did you know that we had 1,814 hits in the month of February? We actually made the top 20 list for volume during the month. If you haven’t yet done so, please give the mobile app a try. You can check to see which priest is celebrating Mass, see Mass times and if you want, read my column all from your smart phone. Getting the app is easy. Simply go to our website www.saintjohntheevangelist.com from your smart phone. Upon entering our site, you will be automatically redirected to our mobile site. You will then be given the option of downloading our app for your desktop. Give it a try and I promise that you will enjoy.
By now, you are all aware of my passion for the Catholic Faith Appeal. Not only do your contributions towards the CFA support countless ministries within the Diocese of Venice, they also satisfy a very important component of our annual budget. We are constantly trying to come up with new and innovative ideas to assist us in reaching our annual goal. We are once again hosting a Reverse Raffle as a fundraiser for the Catholic Faith Appeal. For those who remember, we hosted just such an event last year and raised $12,000 for the CFA. Here is a brief explanation of how the raffle works: “What is a Reverse Raffle?” It is exactly what the name implies. Rather than the first ticket drawn winning the raffle, the last ticket drawn in a Reverse Raffle is the big winner. In this particular instance, we will be selling 300 tickets for the raffle at a cost of $100 each. The winning ticket (or the last one drawn) will win $10,000.00. This is a great return on a $100 investment. In addition, your $100 ticket also gains you (and a guest) admission to the party where you will enjoy dinner, entertainment and an open bar. In order to keep everyone’s interest throughout the evening, we will also offer cash prizes randomly as the raffle progresses. The first ticket drawn will win $100 as will every 25th ticket drawn for the remainder of the raffle. So in other words, 12 lucky attendees will get their money back and enjoy a great evening of entertainment at no cost. In addition, Tom Oram will be performing before the raffle begins and then playing 30 minute sets after the drawing of every 100 numbers. You need not be present to win, so if you are headed back to your northern residence and unable to attend, you are encouraged to purchase a ticket with the comfort of knowing that we will either send you a check for your winnings or keep your winnings in safekeeping until you return in the fall.
If you have never attended a reverse raffle, let me assure you that it is a lot of fun. When the drawing is down to the final ten ticket holders, there is a great deal of excitement in the air creating an “electric” atmosphere. I have hosted several of these events in the past several years, and on many occasions, there are multiple winners as the final three to five ticket holders have opted to split the $10,000.00 grand prize. Last year, the final six ticket holders split the $10,000.00 prize and took home $1,666.66 each. So allow me to recap…..For $100, you will receive admission for two, a catered meal, an open bar and entertainment by Tom Oram, as well as the chance to win $10,000.00. I can think of no better deal locally for a cost of $50 per person. The Reverse Raffle will take place on Friday, April 19 at 6:30 pm in the ballroom of the Parish Life Center. Tickets will be available beginning Monday in the parish office. This is a great opportunity for all of us to support the Catholic Faith Appeal while enjoying great entertainment and great camaraderie. We must sell all 300 tickets in order for the event to take place and we are already “behind the eight ball.” Please purchase your ticket today. Thanks!!!!
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA,
General Manager