The first Portuguese Lunch organized by the Portuguese Catholic Community and Choir of Our Lady of Fatima took place on June 16, 2024, celebrating Father’s Day and raising funds for the Capital Campaign for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Palm Coast. With the leadership and support of Father Sergio Santos, the party was a success, bringing $13,000 to the Campaign and with Fred Hackney’s donation of $2,000, the total reverted to this cause was $15,000.
The community participated in force on this Father’s Day party, and many showed their support; to Márcio Oliveira of the Oli Band and his talented daughter who gave the music to brighten up the dance lovers, to Mr. Alcides Lopes who donated and prepared the suckling pig for the auction, to Mr. Fred Hackney who gave the shirts to the workers, to the group of Brazilian ladies who decorated the stage, to Esmeraldino Pereira who gave the aprons, to Lidia’s Embroidery who offered the embroidery work, to everyone who offered the raffle prizes and brought the auction prizes, to everyone who bought raffles and took part in the auction, and lest we forget all who donated the desserts.
The Parish Paster Fr. Jose Panthaplamthottiyil of the Church of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was touched by the presence and generosity of the community and thanked everyone, the Treasurer of the organization Mr. João Gaspar also thanked the community who answered the call for this cause and also thanked the volunteers and especially the ladies in the kitchen who did an excellent job. It seems that this success of the first Portuguese Lunch promises to be repeated in the future, perhaps in the form of a picnic when the weather is cooler. Everything depends on the goodwill of our people and on the initiatives of this new leadership of the Portuguese Catholic Community of Our Lady of Fatima. Congratulations and well done!