Festival Thanks:  My friends, our parish’s 49th Annual Spring Festival was a great success. THANK YOU for the many and varied ways you supported the festival.  While we didn’t have the most ideal weather last weekend, we still had a safe and enjoyable festival.  To me, that’s most important!
 
One of the first questions I get every year after the festival is about how we did financially.  To be honest, it will be some time before we can report on the final numbers. As I have said on many occasions, the final numbers don’t tell the whole story of the festival.  The fact it is such a “friend-raiser” and an opportunity for fellowship and community is important.  Our net numbers might be slightly down from a normal year but the outreach and community spirit needs to be taken into consideration.  Even more important was the physical healing that took place in the prayer tent, the stories of people who stopped by the prayer tent and the story of the man who stopped many of us to show a picture he took with what looked like the image of the Blessed Mother overlooking the setup of the festival tell the story of a successful festival. More on these stories next week.
 
There are many people and businesses that need to be thanked.  A HUGE thanks goes to our General Festival Chairpersons: Patty Kesner, Dina Ciaffone and Emily Berschback.  They do an exceptional job keeping us on track, organized, calm AND laughing (and we laugh often at our festival meetings and throughout the festival weekend).  I couldn’t ask for a better team of people to work with!  They are absolutely awesome!   I would like to thank our committee chairpersons:  Finance: Deacon Tom and Josie Strasz, Ken and Laurie Poirier, and Josh Uniewski; Cashier Chairs: Jim and Vicki Jara; Legal Counsel: Kevin Hendrick; Tickets: Anne Radatz and Peggy Venditti; Food: Kevin and Michelle Kaptur and John and Pam Mowatt; Entertainment:  Pat and Sandy Markielewicz, Charles Kaiser and Brian Shubnell; Bingo: Liz and Patrick Wearn; Ushers’ Raffle: Matt Cebulski and Doug Kucway; Security: Ryan Schroerlucke; 50/50: A.J. Hakim and Ann Marie Lutfy; Ride Bracelets: Kristie Bueti and Mary Tanner; Bake Sale: Josie Dehelean and Anne Melise; Volunteers: Marnie Edwards; Advertising: Colleen Totty; First Aid: Colleen Totty and Lisa Pasharikovski; Admissions: Richard Hass and Katherine Folmar; The Evangelization / Prayer Tent Team: Kristine and Richard Hass.  Our general festival meetings start in January each year and these people put in many hours to make it all happen.  If you see any of these people, please thank them for what they do.
 
There are also a number of businesses and individuals that need to be thanked.  They donated or discounted food, beverages, signs or items for the Ushers’ Raffle.  Special thanks go to:  Chuck Moore Commercial Sign Service, LLC; City of St. Clair Shores; Precision Services and Improvements ; RMW Productions; St. Clair Shores Fire Department: Fire Marshal, Melissa Bodnar; St. Clair Shores Police Department; AH Peters Funeral Home; Advanced Novelty Co; Ann M. Tobin, P. C.; Autumn Heating & Cooling; Bagnasco Calcaterra Funeral Home; BAS Security Systems; BBMC Mortgage; Beaumont Health; Bommarito Bakery; BOS Structures and Events; Breadsmith; Charlie's Restaurant; CK Mediterranean Grille & Catering; Clairpointe Family Dental; Clark Hill; Country Smoke House; Crazy Gringo Mexican Cantina; Crystal Clean Powerwashing; David Gilboe & Associates; De La Salle Collegiate High School; DeSantis Trucking Inc; Detroit Social Sports; Falcon Dental; Fishbones: St. Clair Shores; Flagstar Bank; Gibson's TV; Gilbert's Hardware; Gordon Food Service; James M. Cooper, D.D.S.; Jets Pizza; Josef's European Pastry Shop; Kaul Funeral Home; Keller Williams Great Lakes: Katherine Minne; Krall Law Offices, PLLC; Lake Pointe Orthodontics; The Lechner Family; Lipari Foods; Mack Alger Firestone; Mary Garofalo; Massage Green Spa; Menchies: The Ahee Family; Metropolitan Eye Center; Michigan Auto and Golf Cart; Motor City Paint | Shelby Paint & Decorating; National Construction Rentals; Pam Mowatt State Farm; Park Rite; Pointe Lamp & Lighting; Polar Ice Co.; Powers Distributing; Ram's Horn: St. Clair Shores; Real Living: Kee Realty: Flo Abke; Regina High School; Rendez-vous; Rinaldi Sausage Michigan; Robert H. Fortunate: Attorney at Law; Sal Causley: State Farm Insurance Agent; Seaver's Home Maintenance; Selfridge Air National Guard Base; Sir Speedy: The Coughlin Family; Srodek's Campau Quality Sausage, Co. ; Steve Basile; Szott Ford: Tom Mazawey; The Rivers; The Wine Garden; The Thomas Family; VanDyke Gas Co.; Viviano's; Wasik Funeral Home and Woods Wholesale Wine.  Please thank these businesses and individuals for their support of the Festival.
 
I would like to thank the SJA staff.  In particular, I want to thank our maintenance staff: Steve Angst, Paul Angst, Matt Barthel, Michael Kirkland, Austin Rassey and Greg Ruvolo.  They did an OUTSTANDING job responding to our many requests before, during and after the festival.  I want to thank Kevin Kubisiak and Bob from Precision Services and Improvements of Saint Clair Shores who responded to our many electrical needs. I want to thank Rob Wisnieski and his crew Chris, Justin and Luke from RMW Productions of Washington Township who helped with the networking and security camera setup.  I want to thank our Parish Center staff:  Debi Kirkland, Deborah Salk, Lorraine Jonas and Jackie Bugarin-Scheuer, along with the other pastoral staff not already mentioned: Fr. John, Fr. Bob, Fr. Rich, Sr. Rose, Kathy Kalich, Mary Pat Brennan, Suzanne Cornelius, Don Pomaville and John Perna.
 
I want to give a HUGE shout out to parishioner Chuck Moore of Chuck Moore Commercial Sign Service in Roseville.  Chuck has been extremely generous to us for many years by donating ALL of the signage seen throughout the campus during the festival.  What an awesome and generous gift to the parish and festival.  THANK YOU!
 
The people portion wouldn’t be complete without thanking Blake Huston and the wonderful staff of North American Midway Entertainment (NAME).  They are great people and we enjoy working with them.  NAME has been providing the mid-way and rides for the SJA Spring Festival since 1981!
 
I also want to thank the countless individuals who gave of their time and talent to help in the various areas of the festival.  Thank you also to the countless people who purchased raffle tickets.  Strong raffle ticket sales are a big reason the festival is so successful.  Thanks also to all who came out and supported the festival.

We also have GREAT neighbors!  They are very patient and understanding during all of the festival activities.  The week before and the few days of the festival bring its own set of inconveniences and noise.  I thank them for their patience and understanding.
 
A HUGE thanks goes to our friends at the Saint Clair Shores Police Department and to our Security Team chaired by Ryan Schroerlucke.  They did an outstanding job throughout the weekend.  Their presence and guidance are always greatly appreciated.

The 49th Annual SJA Festival was a HUGE SUCCESS!  THANK YOU! 
 
Enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend.  Know of my prayers.
 
In Christ,
 
gmb
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