First Saint Rose of Lima Parish festival a success

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The Salt Lake African Choir performs at the St. Rose Festival and Car Show.

By Kevin Cummings

LAYTON — For two days in late September, the grounds of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Layton hosted an energetic festival designed to build community and raise funds. The events on Sept. 29 kicked off with a car show. Local automobile enthusiasts brought more than 60 cars, which were displayed to the public on the west lawn of the parish property.

At the same time, a silent auction in the parish rotunda offered more than 80 assorted items for purchase. Items ranged from gift baskets to vacation getaways and sporting equipment. The auction stayed open until 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Some of the items were hotly contested and a flurry of bids went in just as the auction closed.

Games, face painting and balloon artists offered a diversion to the children who attended, while local musicians, DJs and dancers offered free entertainment.

At the heart of it all, various groups and parishioners came together to offer outstanding food. Parishioner Jose Martin “Mariano” Mendoza organized, cooked and coordinated in a tent offering tasty Latin American food.

“I got involved when Fr. Clarence [Sandoval] asked my help in the economy of the parish,” Mendoza said. “I’ve always wanted to help the Church and I feel God uses me to do this. I am able to this because a lot of people in the parish and my family volunteer to help and donate, but especially my wife.  She is always by my side, working as hard.”

Other booths offered Filipino food, traditional American hamburgers and hot dogs, tasty treats like cotton candy and a variety of flavored drinks and ice cream.

The community aspect of the festival was evident in the groups of people lingering over their meals and connecting with one another. In addition to parishioners, the festival drew in people from the surrounding communities.

“It was a memorable time for our parish to come together and work together,” said the parish pastor, Fr. Clarence Sandoval.  “It was a delight to see the richness of our people and their concern for one another.  I really enjoyed myself and didn’t want it to end. I guess we are all children at heart.”

This was the first large-scale community/fund-raising event hosted at St. Rose of Lima Parish. It was built out of the traditional Kermes, which has been held for the past two years. The entire project was under the leadership of parishioner Leisa Eichmeir.

“We couldn’t have done it without a lot of help,” Eichmeir said at a wrap-up meeting after the festival. “We had a great group of volunteers who helped pull this off.”

With a successful first effort behind them, the parishioners of St. Rose of Lima are already talking about ways to offer a bigger, better festival next year.

Kevin Cummings is a St. Rose of Lima parishioner.