Summit Cops Are "Tops" For Special Olympics

Summit Police Lieutenant John Bragassi and Detective Robert Mase wave to passersby from the roof of the Dunkin' Donuts at 6144 South Harlem last Friday. Along with officers from Bridgeview (who worked the drive-thru), Bragassi and Mase helped raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics Illinois. Held from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event was one of dozens of similar "Cop on Top" events held at Dunkin' Donuts across the state. Those who missed the event but want to make a donation are advised to go online to soill.org and click on "Donate Now." The Summit PD has always been and continues to be a loyal and valued friend of St. Joseph School. Our congratulations and thanks to Lieutenant Bragassi and Detective Mase!

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Win $10,000 at This Year's Parish Fest!

A drawing with a $10,000 grand prize is part of this year's St. Joseph Parish Fest.

The Grand Raffle also boasts a second prize of $5,000 and a third

Someone will win. How about you?

 prize of $1,000.

Tickets are $20 each and may be purchased this week through the rectory, 7240 W. 57th St., Summit.

Winning tickets will be drawn at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, June 9 at the carnival. Winners need not be present.

Only 2,000 tickets will be sold. If less than that are sold, prizes will be pro-rated accordingly.

The St. Joseph Parish Fest starts Thursday, June 6 and runs

through Sunday, June 9. In addition to great live entertainment, event features thrilling carnival rides, fun games of skill and chance, and a food tent will offering such traditional carnival treats as hot dogs, hamburgers, brats, pizza, Italian beef, tacos, tamales and corn-on-the-cob. Cotton candy, ice cream, soda and water also will be available. The beer tent will be open as well.

During the carnival run there will be special ride offers, including a four-day “unlimited rides” wristband.

All St. Joseph parishioners are welcome to attend, as well as everyone in the larger community.

For more information on the Grand Raffle or the event in general, call St. Joseph Church at (708) 458-0501.

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Popular Entertainment Acts to Take the Stage at St. Joseph Carnival, June 6-9th; Bring Family, Friends!

Old favorites and hot new entertainment acts can be found on the main stage lineup for this year's carnival at St. Joseph Parish.

Taking the stage from 8 to 11 p.m. Thursday, June 6 will be

Rockstar Rodeo, which bills itself as "the Midwest's Number 1 Party Country Tribute Show." Band members boast "This isn’t your daddy’s band. Covering artists like Montgomery Gentry, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, (and many more) RockStar Rodeo brings country to life in a dancing, drinking, sing along, having the time of your life event, with a high energy delivery you’ve never seen before."

Two bands will get the weekend off to a rocking start on

Friday, June 7. Classic rock cover band Decades (everything from Van Halen to Pink Floyd to Ozzy Osbourne) will play from 6 to 8 p.m., and Maggie Speaks--one of the most popular and eclectic cover bands in Chicago history--will own the stage from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Saturday, June 8 starts off with a smile, as the World's Honkiest Polka Band plays from 3 to 5 p.m. Wide-ranging

cover band Audiomatic (everything from Lady Gaga to Maroon 5 to the Beatles) will shake the stage from 6 to 8 p.m., and cover band Rendition (everything from the Rolling Stones to Pearl Jam to the Dave Matthews Band) plays from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Sunday, June 9 starts with Gypsy Influence, an internationally acclaimed rumba flamenco group, performing from 4 to 6 p.m. Then from 7 p.m. to midnight, the New Invaders ("the ultimate '60s flashback show") will blow the roof off the tent and close out the carnival.

In addition to great live entertainment, the four-day event features thrilling carnival rides, fun games of skill and chance, and a food tent will offering such traditional carnival treats as

hot dogs, hamburgers, brats, pizza, Italian beef, tacos, tamales and corn-on-the-cob. Cotton candy, ice cream, soda and water also will be available. The beer tent will be open as well. A specific food vendor lineup will be announced next week.

During the carnival run there will be special ride offers, including a four-day “unlimited rides” wristband.

All St. Joseph School families are strongly encouraged to attend. Also invited and most welcome are all parishioners, alumni, friends of the school and parish, as well as everyone in the larger community.

So bring your entire family, your friends, neighbors to this four-day celebration! And please spread the word far and wide.

For more information, call the rectory at (708) 458-0501.

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Spaghetti Dinner Set for Saturday, January 26

A spaghetti dinner fundraiser is set for 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, January 26 in St. Joseph School's Centennial Hall, 5641 South 73rd Avenue, Summit (one block west of 57th and Harlem).

Tickets are $10 each, $7 if purchased in advance at the school office or at the rectory, 7240 West 57th Street.

Proceeds from dinner ticket sales will benefit the school, which for nearly a century has provided a Catholic elementary education for boys and girls in Summit, Chicago's Garfield Ridge neighborhood and other fine communities in the city and suburbs.

During dinner, members of the St. Joseph School Chess Club will hold a bake sale to help raise funds for a trip to compete in Nashville, Tennessee.

For details, call the school at (708) 458-2927.

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Student Council Raises Awareness and Cash for Hurricane Victims; Need is Ongoing, Aid Encouraged

St. Joseph Student Council officers (from left) Secretary Courtney Hughes, President Julie Diaz, Treasurer Peter Zaja, Vice President Vincent Dinon and School Spirit Officer Gabriel Rocha are all smiles with Principal Lawrence Manetti after hosting a Jean Day last month to raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Children and staff donated a minimum of a dollar each to come to school dressed in jeans and a casual top. Some $300 was raised and sent to Catholic Charities in Trenton, New Jersey. While the hurricane is long gone, the devastation and the need remain, exacerbated by the approach of winter. St. Joseph School encourages everyone to visit CatholicCharitiesTrenton.org to see examples of the ongoing need and make a donation.

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Trick-or-Trunk Halloween Fun at St. Joe's

Here are a few photos from St. Joseph School's annual "Trick or Trunk" event, a safer and fun alternative to door-to-door trick or treating.

Parents (and a few other parishioners) park their cars close together in the parking lot, then open their trunks/hatchbacks to reveal Halloween decorations.

Immediately after school, SJS students in costume go from car to car, trick or treating with their classmates.

This event is lots of fun. A number of parents and teachers dress up, too.

Mr. Porod, Vice Principal, who every year finds a unique costume to wear and persona to adopt, this year chose to come dressed as Mr. Manetti, SJS Principal.  Priceless!

  

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Varsity Girls Basketball Team Wins Big Against UNO Charter School in Wednesday Game at Hale Park

In girls varsity basketball action on Wednesday night at Hale Park, the Knights scored a convincing victory over the girls from the UNO Charter School.

Both teams started slowly, and the Knights led by only a 4-0 margin at halftime. But they maintained their defensive intensity in the second half and added an offense marked by good ball handling, smart passing, aggressive rebounding and consistent scoring. By the final buzzer, the Knights had pulled away for a one-sided 16-2 triumph.

The varsity Knights are a young squad this year---most are fifth and sixth graders---but are determined, well coached and learning quickly.

The Knights' next game at Hale (the last game of the regular season) is Wednesday, November 7 against the Kinzie Cougars. Tip off is set for 8:45 p.m. Please come out and cheer on our girls!

Knights Battle Bulldogs in Varsity Hoops at Hale

In girls varsity basketball action on Wednesday night at Hale Park, the Knights gave it their best but were over-matched by the Sutherland seventh grade squad.

The Bulldogs led 10-5 at the break; and then came out firing, starting the second half by hitting a series of outside shots and maintaining their intensity on the boards. At the final buzzer, Sutherland won 24-9.

The varsity Knights are a young squad this year---most are fifth and sixth graders---but are determined, well coached and learning quickly.

The Knights' next game at Hale is Saturday, October 20 against the Sutherland eighth graders. Tip off is set for 11:00 a.m. Please come out and cheer on our girls!

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"Dueling Pianos" Fundraiser Set for September 15th

Mark your calendars now for the evening of Saturday, September 15 and get ready to enjoy some great musical entertainment at the Dueling Pianos event in St. Joseph School's Centennial Hall, 5641 South 73rd Avenue, Summit.

Two professional pianists will square off throughout the evening, dueling with their musical talents to see who can provide the most crowd-pleasing entertainment.

"This is kind of a 'back by popular demand' event," stated St. Joseph School Principal Lawrence Manetti. "It was a popular event here two years ago, and our School Board decided to bring it back. We encourage all school parents, parishioners, alumni and other friends of the school to join us for an evening of great music and fun."

The fundraising event is sponsored by the St. Joseph School Board. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the pianists playing from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Appetizers will be available, along with a cash bar. Tickets for "split the pot" and a cash raffle will also be available for purchase. The event is recommended for men and women ages 21 and up.

Admission tickets for the fundraiser are $30 at the door, $25 in advance. To purchase advance tickets, call the school at (708) 458-2927 or Joe Hughes at (773) 586-8964.

Additionally, volunteers are needed to help staff the event.

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Great News About One of Our Alumni

By Lawrence Manetti, St. Joseph School Principal

I always enjoy sharing good news about the achievements of St. Joseph School alumni.

Today I offer congratulations to Brandon Mata (class of 2008) who won second place in the highly competitive annual essay contest sponsored by Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools of Cook and Lake Counties, in partnership with Catholic New World, the newspaper for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Open to high school seniors enrolled in a Catholic high school, the essay contest required entrants to focus on two questions:

• What do you think it means to be a faithful citizen? and
• How has your Catholic education helped you to become a faithful citizen?

The topic reflects the fact that we are in a Presidential election year. The Catholic Church encourages its members to inform their consciences to become faithful citizens and participate in the electoral process. To that end, the U.S. bishops offer for reflection the statement "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility."

Brandon's outstanding essay is posted on the Catholic New World website.

A recent graduate of St. Laurence High School, Brandon plans to attend Eastern Illinois University this fall. He has ambitious plans to work towards two degrees: one in Early Education and a second in Special Education, with a minor in French.

Truly impressive. Congratulations, Brandon!

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