It is hard to believe that we just recognized St. Patrick’s Day and now we are celebrating Palm Sunday and then Easter next weekend. And all of this in the month of March! I guess April will be a pretty boring month this year.
After an incredibly successful Family Fun & Ministry Day the prior Sunday, we had our work cut out for us on St. Patrick’s Day. After stretching the Ballroom capacity to 425, we were well prepared for anything and everything on St. Patrick’s Day evening. As it turns out, the 425 that chose to attend were treated to an incredible deal for only $25.00. Thirty minutes after opening the doors to guests, we were privy to an authentic piping experience by the Naples Harp and Thistle Band. This band of 20 performed for 30 minutes and had the crowd captivated as they wowed us with an Irish rendition of Amazing Grace. Immediately after the band departed, our very own Irish dance troupe (Tir-Na-Nog) took the stage and entertained the crowd for another 30 minutes. Dancers from the age of 5 to 20 performed numerous jigs and reels. Some were soft shoe and others were in clogs, but all were very entertaining. After the dance troupe departed, we received word from Fr. John that he would also be performing an Irish Dance. Holding true to his word, Fr. John danced an Irish Jig that was met with a standing ovation. Again, for a mere $25.00, this was a great night of entertainment. Frisco’s catered a traditional Irish meal of Corned Beef and Cabbag
e and fed everyone in a span of no more than forty minutes. The meal was delicious and several even commented that it was some of the best corned beef they had consumed in quite some time. After dinner, hundreds took to the dance floor and danced away the remainder of the evening. We also hosted a small silent auction which netted over $2,600.00. That, combined with proceeds from ticket sales and donations, we raised approximately $6,000.00 for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. (See separate article and photos in next week’s bulletin.)
I would like to recognize two very amazing women who agreed to work on the St. Patrick’s Day Party with me. Mary Beth Clary, who serves on numerous other committees while holding down a full time job as an attorney, put time aside to assist with coordination and especially in lining up the Harp and Thistle Band and Irish Dance troupe. Judith Dolkas, whom without I could not properly function, stepped up and handled the food and beverage as well as decorations and logistics. Many would ask how a committee of two could handle an event for 425 guests. Those asking have certainly not met Judith and Mary Beth. Thanks, Ladies, for all you do for this parish.
Did you see the collection summary in this bulletin? The St. Patrick’s Day collection from this past Saturday morning was $12,211.00. This entire collection will be distributed to the St. John’s Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society to be used for assistance by families in our area. Between the party and the collection, we once again raised over $18,000.00 for our St. Vincent de Paul Society. Thank you to our parishioners for your extreme generosity.
Everyone did such a wonderful job in submitting your RSVP for Family Fun & Ministry Day. You did such a great job that we are once again asking for your help. During the registration process for the Easter Egg Hunt last year, approximately 100 registered for the event. Imagine the surprise of the Men’s Club when nearly 400 showed up the day of to hunt for eggs. The registration form is located in the bulletin (on page 18), and I just sent out an email blast to all families that have provided their email address. The Men’s Club kindly asks that you submit your completed registration form to the parish office, drop in the collection basket or respond to the email with the number of adults and children participating and their ages. Thanks in advance for your cooperation!
Tickets for the Reverse Raffle went on sale this past Monday in the parish office. As a gentle reminder, we must sell all 300 tickets in order for the event to take place. I will not yet begin to beg as we are still one month out (as of writing), however, rest assured that you will hear my pleas very shortly. If you wanted to be incredibly kind, you could purchase your raffle tickets early and save me a little stress and anxiety. Thanks in advance for your consideration.
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA
General Manager