St Joseph’s Fairview Celebrates Mardi Gras
By Lori Johnson
FAIRCHILD - In a last hurrah before the Lenten season, a Mardi Gras celebration was held at St. Joseph’s Fairview Catholic Church on Sunday, February 23.
After 8:30 a.m. mass, over 70 hungry guests enjoyed an “all you can eat” breakfast of pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, ham, muffins, breads, desserts, coffee, milk, and juice--no excuse to go away hungry from this breakfast!
As if the tasty meal wasn’t enough, other highlights of the festivities were the raffles. A call had gone out that prizes were needed for the raffle, and folks delivered. There were fourteen baskets including a book basket full of hard cover books, hot cocoa, chocolate bars; 2 soap baskets containing a variety of home made soaps, cherry vodka basket with drink glasses, a Packer basket with a Scheel's gift card, large bar of chocolate, Packer hat, etc.; A boy basket with metal Paw Patrol lunch box, movie, toys; a girl basket with rainbow leopard stuffed animal, necklace, earrings. Other prizes were: an original painting by Katie Kaufman, greeting cards, a small quilt, and gift certificates.
The 50/50 prize went to Jeanie Smith. She won $143 and donated $103 back to the church.
In keeping with the Mardi Gras spirit, the King Cakes raffle has special little cakes, with 3 cakes containing a small plastic baby inside. The people whose cake contains the "King" wins a gift card and 2 cards were won.
Proceeds from the Mardi Gras breakfast are earmarked for the general funds of the church which help with expenses such as the remodeling project going on at the back of the church, The church is changing stairways, replacing doors, to make it easier to get into the church, as well as making an area where they will put in a lift to make the church handicapped accessible.
Father Dan Thelen of St. Joseph‘s Fairview was very pleased with the events of the day, saying "The Mardi Gras breakfast was another success for our parish. I very much enjoyed the French toast and ham! Parishioners and others from the community filled the basement. It was such a pleasure seeing everyone and catching up with so many!”
