PARISH FESTIVAL COMMITTEE

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:
The third weekend of July each year, the parish gathers together on the church’s grounds with friends from within and outside the parish in a celebration of mid-summer. What makes this festival special are not the ‘things’ we present, like rides, great food, and games. It is the bonds of fellowship we build within our community as we share moments seeing our children play together, sharing a beverage while recounting our summers, or volunteering elbow to elbow to provide a good quality lemon shake-up. In building these bonds our community is strengthened and continues to be blessed.

There was a mention in the reminiscences of Cliff H. Scheuer that he was asked by Father Foley, the first pastor of Our Lady of Peace, to be chairman of a “festival” in the late summer of 1946. Mr. Scheuer accepted, and the first festival netted about $3,300. There is no documentation showing festival activity between 1947 and 1986. Many thanks to Msgr. Kenneth Grimes for reviving the Parish Festival in September 1986. The festival became an annual event under his watch.

WHO WE ARE/ WHAT WE DO:
MISSION:
Annually, the festival has consistently raised money that goes directly to supporting activities at Our Lady of Peace School.

WHEN: The third weekend of July each year, Friday and Saturday evenings

ACTIVITIES:
Food, entertainment, carnival rides, silent auction, casino games, and other fun activities for all ages.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES:
Over 300 volunteers are needed to make this festival a success. Not only to oversee the various activities during the evenings of the festival, but to participate in the planning and implementation. The planning process begins as early as January when we meet monthly to discuss new ideas and welcome new interested committee members. In order to share the tasks and responsibilities, individual committees are formed to plan a specific function or activity of the festival. For example, there are separate committees for rides, food, games of chance, the cake wheel, beverages, Lemon Shake-Ups, the Silent Auction, publicity, grounds set up and tear down, and entertainment. There’s plenty of work to be shared! Please be generous with your time.

DONATIONS:
Needed for our Silent Auction are donations of gift certificates, event tickets (Indians, Blue Jackets, Crew, Reds, Browns, OSU, Broadway Series, concerts, and services (landscaping, painting, baking etc.), quality craft items, corporate incentives (golf or sport bags, coolers, sweatshirts), hotel or condo stays, airline tickets, electronics…anything that can help raise money during the Silent Auction!

For our popular “Cleaning Baskets:” various laundry and household cleaning supplies.

For a new feature “Baubles & Bags:” a donation of gently used, quality jewelry or purses. Please only donate items in good condition.

Always a great success are our “Spirit Baskets.” Share a bottle of your favorite spirits, or donate that gift bottle sitting in your cabinet.

Also needed are sturdy straw, plastic, or metal baskets, and decorative containers. Anything which can be used to create various baskets for the auction.

   
                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                      

CONTACTS:

Check out our new webpage at www.olp-festival.org