Parish Dinners Foster Stewardship, Serving More Than Just Good Food
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“The Camaraderie is Priceless”
t was 15 years ago that our pastor asked the Social Committee to reach out to our parishioners to see what they wanted — with the question, “What’s missing?” — from parish life. “The people said, ‘getting together,’” says Joan Cotton, committee coordinator. “Sometimes we come to Mass, and just leave, the people said. It’s been really important to bring the parish together. So we do dinners, four a year, and periodically we’ll add one on. It has really helped the parish when we did this. You get to know the people you’d see at Mass — that is really the important part.” There is no charge for the quarterly dinners, although a donation box is at hand. “The point is not to make money, but to come together in friendship and love,” Joan says.
Bob Cesario serves as the chef for the dinners, while Pat Anderson leads the decorating group. The other committee members take on the required tasks to put the dinners together. Preparations begin two days before the dinner itself. Besides Joan, Bob, and Pat, committee members include Don Cotton, Ryan Breault, Nancy Arndorfer, Maggie Schlesinger, Jane Mouton, Pat Debruyn-Laumer, Fran Rider, Fran Bogetich, and Dale and Peggy Stradford. “It’s a good committee,” Joan says. “We all work well together.” To celebrate the Aug. 15 Feast Day of Our Lady of the Assumption, a dinner is held in August; a Harvest Festival dinner takes place in late October-early November; the Pasta Dinner is held in January; the continued on back cover
OLA Social Committee
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