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Community Corner

Hundreds of Volunteers Make the St. Ann's Festival an Ongoing Success

St. Ann’s Parish in Ossining hosts their 30th Annual Festival beginning Tuesday, June 24, and each night through Sunday, June 29. The Festival runs from 6:00 to 11:00 each night on the St. Ann’s School grounds, Eastern Avenue, up the hill from Rt. 9.

The Festival features rides and games, and a big assortment of Italian, Filipino, Portuguese and Spanish foods—and of course hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, ice cream, cannolis and other desserts. Parish volunteers make most of the food. According to Father Ed Byrne, “people may enjoy one type of food over another, but everyone seems to eat a pizza fritta, we make thousands of them.”

Over 250 parishioners volunteer for the festival. St. Ann’s is one of the few remaining all-volunteer festivals where parishioners chop and cook (the meatballs and peppers and onions being prepped this week), chip ice for soda, shuck clams, run the games, and post street signs. Perhaps most important, the pizza fritta are rolled out by Italian ladies with decades of experience. Professionals operate the rides, but volunteers do everything else.

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The food tent volunteers work continuously at a fast pace, and rarely even have a chance to eat any of the food they serve. “It’s OK though,” says Chris Piazza, “after all the people have gone, the workers gather under the tents and enjoy different foods—some from the festival and some brought by workers to share with each other. These fun times help us to get to know each other, and it brings us together as a parish family.”

Tania Cafarelli says, “Even as a life-long parishioner, I didn’t know how much work goes on behind the scenes, until I started to do the work too.”  Angela Osorio, another volunteer says, “I love to work at the game booths. I also teach religious ed., and I see so many of my former students, and old friends. Its tough work, but so much fun.”

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Father Byrne agrees: “This great community event lets everybody come and meet old-time friends and new folks. It's great family fun, for little children, teens, parents and grandparents. My favorite part of the event is meeting and greeting so many people in a relaxed, beautiful community spirit and enjoying the great variety of food together.”

“We work for weeks getting ready,” said Chris Piazza. “The festival makes you sweat, you’re on your feet all night, and it’s a crazy six days, but when it’s over I get a lonely feeling and miss it. Good thing there’s next year.”

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