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Picnic Pride
ON THE INSIDE The latest happenings in our area Page 2
July 29, 2016
Christ the King parish plans a party by Christopher Cornell ADVANTAGE EDITOR
The crowd you see streaming into Eynon this weekend isn’t chasing down its favorite political candidate. More than likely they’re headed for Christ The King Parish’s annual picnic, which will be held Friday through Sunday, July 29-31, on the St. Mary of Czestochowa Church grounds, Betty and Main streets in Eynon. The picnic opens at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. So great is the influx — about 1,000 people a day, picnic co-chairman Chris Tomasefski said — that shuttle buses have been set up to get people to the church grounds, and ease the annual parking headaches. A shuttle service will be available between St. Thomas Aquinas Church and the picnic. It will leave from Archbald at 4:30 and 7:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 3:30 and 6:45 p.m. on Sunday. Return trips to St. Thomas will be at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 6:30 and 9 p.m. Sunday. New this year: The parish will also offer a continuous shuttle from Sugerman’s parking lot — “near the sheds” co-chairman Ed Sokoloski helpfully explains — starting at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 4 p.m. on Sunday. The last bus will leave the picnic grounds for the Sugarman’s parking lot at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 9 p.m. on Sunday. Also new this year: a gasoline raffle and a stand called Toys for You from Toys R Us, where winners will receive gift certificates. Musical entertainment includes The Mix on Friday night, AM Radio on Saturday night and
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From left, seated: Mary Lynn Krushinski, Irene Rudalavage, Elvira Partyka, Gloria Cerra, Florence Kelly, Lillian Pettis, Jen Collarini and Jay Bianchi. Standing: Joe Rudalavage, Jill Abbott, Rev. Christopher Sahd, Chris Tomaszewski, Ed Sokoloski, Rich Ercole, Walter Checefsky and Rich Bianchi.
Daddy-O & the Sax Maniax on Sunday night. You name the picnic food and it will be on hand: cabbage and noodles, potato pancakes, pierogies, pigs in a blanket, pagoch, sausage with or without peppers, steak and cheese with or without peppers and onions, steak hoagies, Texas burgers, kielbasa with kraut, Texas weiners, wimpies, clam chowder, french fries, hamburgers, hot dogs with or without kraut, pizza, pizza-frita, funnel cakes and fried Oreos. Hungry yet? Ninety percent of the food is homemade, officials said. This kind of event requires lots of volunteers, explained Rev. Christopher Sahd, parish pastor. “It takes many hands and minds to create a parish picnic,” he said. “No job is too big or too small or too important or not so important. Through the goodwill and dedication of all our
parishioners, our picnics have proven to be a success.” According to Judy Rudalavage, the publicity chairwoman, the picnic as we know it today “began seven years ago when St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Archbald and St. Mary of Czestochowa Church in Eynon merged into Christ the King Parish.” It was decided the picnic would be held on the St. Mary grounds, and it has become a yearround process. “Work begins the day after the picnic closes,” explained co-chair Rich Bianchi, “starting all over for the following year.” Asked what is his favorite part of the picnic, Sahd replied: “Just seeing seeing people coming together, meeting new people, gathering with familiar friends or working behind the scenes in support of their parish.”