Parish Picnic Offers Opportunity for Faith Community to Gather and Grow

Mark your calendars — we are excited to announce that the St. Francis Solanus Parish Picnic will be held Saturday, June 11! The picnic will take place from 5 p.m. to midnight, and there is no cost to attend the picnic — however, all games, food, and drink will need to be purchased.

Many exciting events are lined up for this year’s picnic! For the kids, there will be games, train rides, and bounce houses. For the adults, there will be bingo, poker, and Plinko. Other picnic activities include a dunk tank, food and drinks, a basket raffle, a silent auction, and a quilt raffle. The Heidelberg Band will perform from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and ELEVEN will perform from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Keith and Bonnie Wiemelt are longtime volunteers for the picnic. In the past, they have helped sell 50/50 tickets, worked in the drink tents, and assisted with the silent auction. This will be their second year serving as chairpersons. Being so involved in the picnic has allowed them to understand why this event is so special for the parish.

“It is a way for everyone to gather socially,” Keith and Bonnie say. “It is a way for people to help give back to the parish. There are lots of people who grew up in the parish but have moved away. The picnic is a time that they come back to visit and see old friends.”

The picnic also serves as a fundraiser for the parish, and all of the proceeds from this event will go right back into financially supporting the parish, helping to offset many of the costs of running the church and school. To make this picnic a success, many volunteers are needed.

“The three parts of stewardship can be fulfilled at the picnic, whether someone is helping run the event or attending the picnic,” Keith says. “The picnic couldn’t happen each year without the volunteers giving of their time and talent.”

Volunteers are needed to help cook and serve the food, serve the drinks, run the games, set up and tear down the picnic, and help plan the different events that will take place during the picnic. There are plenty of opportunities for anyone interested in helping.

“Our church is only as vibrant and strong as those who help in its activities,” Bonnie says. “The more people get involved and bring in their ideas, the more things will be made better.”