2023 Fish Fry & Soup and Scripture Review
The 14th Soup & Scriptures and the 12th Fish Fry Reports are now complete for your review!
(Check out all the photos on our Facebook page!)
I hope our Parish realizes & will appreciate all the time, work, and effort that our dedicated group of individuals participate in to make these events a success. I’d like to focus on them mainly today because these past 3 years were quite a challenge. Covid, the Lockdown, five rainy days on the FF dates, along with rampant inflation on products needed, all impacted upon our ability to provide our stated purpose of Christian fraternalism & fellowship to all.
Appx. 80% of the following who started these Ministries with me are still volunteering their services and is a major reason why both ministries continue. Without them, and without your acknowledgement & support, they could not continue.
Over the 5 weeks of S&S, 75 gallons of fresh soup, meat & vegetables was prepared for the 314 people who attended and then donated to the program $ 1,109.00.
Assisting with the program, Kim Reiner & St. Francis students set up tables, chairs, and place settings assisted by Helen & Bob DeFayette, Sue Tharp, Deb Drobanak, and Grace Zaveckas. Sue also baked over 50 loaves of fresh bread. Weaver’s Butcher Shop provided chicken & pork at cost. A note in passing, this was Sue Tharp’s 16th year with the program and our 14th. Over the 14 Years, attendance was 3,982. Parishioners donated $11,759.00 towards this Ministry.
The five rainy & cold Fridays of Lent dampened attendance a bit, but the majority who attended were bolstered by the scripture adage of “Many are cold, but few are frozen”. Many people have to be thanked for their participation & generosity.
A Thursday afternoon Prep Crew was Cherie & Paul Colomb, John Newbold, Bonny Isenberger, Cathy Zarrella, Caroline Deloe, Jeanne Blaker, Gina Fiaschetti, Laura Potter, Jim McGinnis, and Grace Zaveckas. Friday prep, servers, & workers included Biff Rosensteel, Karen & Ed Szoke, Andrea Switzer, Gaby Cranga, Nicole & Matt Redding, Connie Canute, Mary & Riley Redding, Regina Hollar, Suzanne Landis, Kay Walters, Maureen & Dave Liddle, Tony & Barbara Redding, Caleb & Kaitlyn Repp, Nancy Newbold, Cheri & Paul Colomb, Jeanne Blaker. Frank Tharp & Mike Landis were Exchequer. Sanitation was Matt Redding, Kaitlyn & Caleb Repp, Barbara DeMaria, and Lucy Simmons.
Saving me the additional expense of buying desserts, the Parish Ladies who donated fully cooked desserts included Connie Canute, Winne McMaster, Barbara Onofrey, Cherie Colomb, Jeanne Blaker, Nancy Newbold, Regina Hollar, Cheryl Guy, Teri Gelles, Bonnie Isenberger, Mary Redding, Lucy Jurcak, Helen DeFayette, Rita Tuchalski, Gina Fiaschetti, Jaime Synnamon, Harriet Glass, Laura Potter, Kay Walters, Barbara Heim, Donna Kreiger, Katie O’Farrell, Emilie McGinnis, Sue Wilson, Pam Chiarelli, Margaret Myers, Regina Kosh, Carol Paul.
I would like to thank & bring special attention to Becky Sieg and Kim Reiner for coordinating the Parish School kids that volunteered to serve, man the take-out station, washroom, and assist the seniors in obtaining their meals. They include Grace Hewitt, Catherine Kelly, Noah Flickinger, William Smith, Kaitlyn Synnamon, Nicholas Ramirez, Caroline Kelly, Alex Staub, William Rupp, Elizabeth Love, Josie Sweitzer, Kendall Rohrbaugh, Maria Marchak, Sophia Love, Anne Garskof, Gia Kelly, Evan Glass, Maddox Glass, Axel Esoovias, Annabelle Harrington, Anne Kosh, Zachary Hobbs, Alexis Matthews, Stanislav Miller, Kingston Mathias, Stephanie Matthias, Isabella Kolb, More comments were made about them and they assisted more seniors than ever before. They will be treated to a Pizza Party shortly. Deliso Ristorante supplied 40 pizzas again at cost.
Nicole Redding donated all the weekly cocktail and tartar sauces.
Grace Zaveckas organized advertising at NO charge to the Parish. Contributing time & efforts were Walter Tuchalski through GARMA, Internet, Radio & Facebook, Catholic Witness, The Gettysburg Times & Darryl Wheeler, and Becca for all Parish Social Media Outlets, Emmittsburg paper, Merchandiser, Gettysburg Companion, Celebrate Gettysburg and YOUR word of mouth.
Again, my sincerest thanks and admiration to all who helped in our Parish Lenten Ministry.
I received many an inquiry this year from those who wanted to attend but just couldn’t eat/ disliked fish. Thinking of adding a new entry next year to go with the Admiral, Captain, Seaman, 1st Mate; The Mutineer! A generous portion of Mac, Veggies & Corn pudding!
During these 12 years of Fr. Pistone’s original hopes, over 12,000 meals have been served. This year $10,020.00 was returned to our Parish. The grand total stands at $73,605.00.
Ken Zaveckas
