Picnic Thank You letter

Below is a thank you letter from Harry Stryker, our parish Vice President and the Head of Picnic Planning Committee.

First of all, God answered all of our prayers and blessed us with a beautiful week, so that we could set up, hold the picnic, and clean-up without any bad weather.

Second of all, thank you to:
​- everyone who came to help make pierogi, you came when you could, and the committee appreciates it. Thanks to the boilers led by Lenny Shark and our baggers and pinchers: Betty Dobowchik, Georgianna Sichuk, Gene Kulick, Vickie Duin, and Barbara Preciado. Those were long and hard work days, and you all sacrificed some of your time to help.
- to Gene Kulick and Gerri Schwarz, who reached out to various financial donors; and to Judy Van Beesel, who handled the financial end of it all.
- we appreciate ShopRite for their generous food donations and for cooking the roast beef for free. Please continue to patronize them.
- to Maria and Yuriy Paranyuk, who worked hard to make the delicious stuffed cabbage (holubki), and to those who helped them.
- to Jonathan Preciado, who again took charge of the sausage and peppers station from start to finish, and to his family in the kitchen - Barbara and Juan Preciado, Christopher and Anastasia Preciado; and to Barbara and Judy for making the sauerkraut.
- to Maryann and Walter Bacsik, who sold tickets all day.
- to my niece Karen, who sold the 50/50 tickets all day, which resulted in the highest payout since we resumed the Picnic.
- to Vladimir Selepouchin, who manned the wrist bands at the entrance.
- to those of you who donated or gathered Tricky Tray donations, and to those who say at the table, including Julie Riker, Vickie Duin, Irina Gozick, and Gerri Schwarz.
- to Greg Karol and his brother Ken, who organized the bands and the music.
- to the Tallman family, whose liquor store discounted the wine and sangria ingredients and who donated the stage for the bands, and who also were one of the bands.
- to all of you, who made donations and who brought your family and friends.
- to my hardworking family: my wife Carol, sister Gerri, and brother Richie, who donated the grill and cooked with David Worrall all day.
- to Mike Burke, who donated two bushels of fresh clams and to Bob Kramer and Dan Kobelka for shucking them.
​- to the Cedar Grove Elks for donating the tent and tables again this year. We miss Kenny Kulick, who always brought the tents to us.
​- to those who worked the beer truck and wine bar, especially Rick Gobeille and Bobby Drelick.
- to everyone who volunteered in the kitchen, serving food, cooking the french fries and pierogi, serving water, soda, coffee, and dessert: Barbara Sedorenko, Maria Chuba, Anastasia Romeo, Svetlana Sunden, Johanna Gatch, Beth Gobeille, and the crew. Most of you worked the whole day without relief; and the chowder bar workers, especially Donna Worrall, Eva Lonsky, and Judy Van Beesel.

This leads me to one issue: we could have used more help in the field on Saturday, Sunday morning, and Monday, especially a few more strong guys to move tables and chairs, as well as cleaning up afterwards. Thank you to those who did help with setting up and clean-up.

We also needed more relief in the kitchen and at the grill and chowder areas. Those are very hot areas, and I saw a lot of red faces. For next year, we will need a few more volunteers to do 2-3 two-hour shifts.

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and every family of our parish should try to get involved as best as they can.

​We added a re things this year, like the bands, the clams, and some more kids activities. If you have suggestions for the coming years, please feel free to let us know.

Finally, thanks to Father and Matushka for all their help, advice, prayers, and support.