Parish Picnic draws St. Catherine's community together for fun, food and music

Loretta Cuccia provided this report from our parish picnic:

Almost 400 parishioners attended St. Catherine's Church Picnic on September 14th. Among the guests was Elizabeth Blatterspiel, a long-time sacristan at St. Catherine's. The additions of a silent auction, chili cook-off and prayer shawl ministry scarf sale contributed to the communal atmosphere.

Parishioner Wayne Hartman won the 50/50 raffle provided a windfall for Wayne Hartman, with an equal amount going back to the church. The parish's first chili cook-off was a great success with 12 varied and delicious recipes, with Greg Horun's entry earning him a ShopRite gift card.

A Silent Auction of themed baskets consisted of almost 100 different gifts. With a total of over $2,700 collected, the funds could be slotted for the Building and Maintenance fund.

The kids' area was very popular, and Patti Longordo's sand crafts were a big hit. Other activities included potato sack races, volleyball, face painting, win-it-in-a-minute, photo booth, and many other fun choices. The new scavenger hunt was exciting and fit perfectly within the Treasure Island theme. Our teens were excited to participate and listen to our youth band, who performed a variety of upbeat, contemporary Christian music.

Each ministry took a stab as master grillers, with many compliments to the chefs. Potluck main and side dishes and bevy of desserts prepared by attendees drew big crowds, as did stands offering cotton candy, popcorn, and ice cream sundaes. A variety of beverages washed it all down nicely; the selection included birch beer, orange drink, and beer and wine for adults.

"Deacon Tony's Reliable Golf Cart Service" came in handy for those needing to park next door or to traverse the hilltop picnic area. Ken Mandoli once again served as Master of Ceremonies, and the smooth jazz of Divine Trio, with our own Tom Hyland on drums and Nancy Coletti on vocals, made their parish picnic debut.

Father Chester thanked the picnic organizers and attendees for their hard work, cooperation and generosity. A gallery of photos from the picnic is available here.

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