It's picnic time!

Every year during the second weekend of August St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Effingham holds it's parish picnic, an event that is quite the homecoming for the entire community.

The festivities begin on Saturday, 12 August, with the 5:00 p.m. Mass and continue that night until midnight. The festivities resume at Noon on Sunday and continue again until midnight. The Sunday Mass schedule is 7:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m., and 11:00 a.m.The picnic includes such activities

-A raffle with prizes including a new vehicle or $15,000 cash; $2,000 cash; a 2006 scooter; a big screen television; a 3-night vacation; and other prizes besides
-Many games including bingo, basketball, plinko, and other sports games
-A country store selling homemade goodies and sweets
-Gourmet hamburgers
-Ice cream and snow cones
-A fancy work stand with great craft items
-A chicken dinner or roasted pork (BBQ or plain) Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the air conditioned parish center

If you happen to be free the weekend of the picnic, I invite you to attend our festivities and help support our parish. Like the people of Effingham, I would be very happy to see old friends at the picnic. If you plan on attending, give me a call.