perrynursery.com
Perry Nursery School
C/O Mary Fabirkiewiecz (677-8130)
3770 Packard Rd.
Ann Arbor  MI  48108

[Open Monday - Friday 7AM - 6PM 
The School is at 3770 Packard Rd. 
just behind the "Gentle Dental Bulding".]

The 2007 Perry Christmas Party was a fun success again this year. Thanks to you our parish again shared the joy of Christ at Christmas time with those less fortunate.  And, we hosts had fun too. The kids were entertained, the food was very good and well handled, and the decorations were the best I have ever seen for this Advent party. Thank you, especially to our coordinators: Roger & Chris Parlett & Bridget McGillicuddy (food); Joyce, Loren & Zach Weathers  (decorations); Chris Kempton (activities); And to all of you who helped... Catherine Anderson, Richard Badics, Matthew Barera, Michael Barera, Robert Berarducci, Terese Bertcher, Christine Billick, Elaine Brady, Elaine Brandenburg, Elaine Caoili, Suzette Charron, Laura DeBacker, Barbara Dehn, Richard Dehn, Patti Dobbs, Joyce Driscoll, Sandi Estep, Terri Fenelon, Colleen Flynn, Elle Gallagher, Thomas Gallagher, Mary Jo Hepburn, Margaret Hermes, Christy Howden, Mary Howrey, Donna Huntsman, Erich Jensen, Agnes Jensen, Jimmy Jensen, Patrick Jensen, Joan Karas, Kathleen Kaveh, Julia Kearney, Philip Kearney, Dawn Keene, Natalie Keene, Charles Kellermann, MaryLou Kellermann, Barbara Kelly-Ferris, Andrea Kempton, A J Kempton, Chris Kempton, Lillian Kempton, Wendy Lemke & the St. Francis School 6th Grade Class, Julie Leonard, Preeti Malani, Jose Martinez, Bridget McGillicuddy, Maria Merola, Cecilia Miller, David Miller, John Miller, Molly Neuman, Jack Ottenwess, James Palm, Christine Parlett, Roger Parlett, Mona Peterson, Paul Peterson, Cathy Pietrasiuk, Christopher Raveendra, Teresita Raveendra, Kay Reason, Colleen Regan, Denise Regan, Sean Regan, Keri Riegger, Brenna Sexton, Pamela Sexton, Shannon Sexton, Daniel Simonelli, Patricia Simonelli, Sharon Sprague, Janet Starr, Denise Sulavik, Janine Sulavik, Angela Szewczul, Loren Weathers, Zach Weathers & Joyce Weathers, Linda Wiseman & Carol Marino & The Young Adult Friendship Helping Group of Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities. See photos from our December 2007 & 2006 parties for Perry Nursery School here at: http://stfrancisa2.com/socialministry/perry-party-photos/ Watch a future edition of the Canticle for pictures from the event.  Merry Christmas!    See photos from our December 2007 & 2006 parties for Perry Nursery School here at: perry-party-photos ------------- ------------- "This party is one of the highlights of our holiday season!  The food, company and activities are always wonderful." - Kathy, SAFE House Staff Healing Wounds of Violence See photos from PAST parties for SAFE House , click here! Safe House is a shelter in Ann Arbor for women & children who are victims of domestic violence. -------------

 

Each year our St. Francis parish family provides and hosts, a Christmas Dinner Party for a local charity organization, its staff and clients.

The meal & party each year is traditionally on the first Thursday evening of December in the Parish Activities Center.   Help coordinate as a Pre-Party Coordinator for one of these areas:
  __ Set-up, Decorations & Environment;
  __ Childrens' Crafts & Games;
  __ Food Donations & Serveing; 

The Coordinator of Decorations & Environment:
Our Parish Social Ministry Office provides the Christmas Tree.  Other decorations are welcome.   You will probably want to go shopping before this event to get some extra decorations.  Shop at any stores (like: Gordon Food Service GFS) and/or any other stores in preparation for this party,  submit the receipts to Scott Wright, Parish Social Ministry Office, and you'll be reimbursed.  Also, you may charge to the parish account at GFS if you communicate first with the Social Ministry Office.        Often some decorations are provided by several groups including: Carol Marino (663-3865) & the Young Adult Friendship/Helping Group of persons with Developmental Disabilities.  Normally Santa is invited by the "Charity Organization".  Gifts are not expected.  Surprise gifts may come from any group interested in providing them.  Also, work together with the Coordinator of Food on things like: table clothes. Signs should be posted welcoming & directing people to the party in the PAC on the PAC front door and the School doors.

Set-up the PAC:  We have always used long tables because we could fit more people with them.  But, If you want to try round tables ... go ahead and try it!! Count on about 150? persons?, many are kids.  (I think normally the set up is like a funeral lunch.)  As far as a work order goes... ask that Dave, get the maintenance guys to put up the tables, but no chairs because in the past four years we have had so many kids, who want to help, that we normally just ask them to set up the chairs.

The Coordinator of Childrens' Crafts & Games:
Keep in contact with Mary Fabirkiewiecz (677-8130)        at Perry Nursery School.  Normally Santa is invited by the "Charity Organization".  And, the "Charity Organization" may have other volunteers that can help organize childrens' crafts & games.  You are the "point person" on Thursday night for activites.  It is essential to have you helping the meet the needs of, and coordinating our volunteers so they can be most useful.   (Volunteers that are helping with activities sometimes are also helping with food, so, you will need to work together with the Coordinator of Food.)

Craft activities for the kids are most all set-up in the school hallway just out side of the PAC.

In the gym ... there are tables & chairs in the storage closet, if needed.  (Check in  with the school gym teacher-coach, John Butsic at 821-2206, about having a key for all of the balls & gym equipment.)

The piano is easy to get out and set up.  It is in the mic/sound closet.  It normally goes near the tree.  The tree normally goes near the entrance door.  And, we put a nice arm chair out for santa.  With some light color back drop on the bulletin board, so that the Safe House workers can take photos of the kids with a polaroid camera, (all photos of kids & clients are confidential & given to the family).  (Do we have a piano player?  Gwen Gilbert has helped with this in the past.)

The Coordinator of Food:
The week before the party look at how many persons are volunteering to set-up, serve & bring - desserts, salads, or casseroles.  Sometimes you may need to ask some persons to bring a different dish that may be more needed.   You are occupied in the kitchen coordinating our parish volunteers so they can be most useful.  This is a buffet style meal serving about 150? persons?. You will need to shop for the: ham carved, bread, condiments, mustard, mayo, sugar, cream, lemonade, coffee, tea, plates, cups, utensils, table clothes, etc..  When you shop at any stores (like: Gordon Food Service (GFS) and/or any other stores in preparation for this party,  submit the receipts to Scott Wright, Parish Social Ministry Office, and you'll be reimbursed.  Also, you may charge to the parish account at GFS if you communicate first with the Social Ministry Office.     You may want to contact some other parish representatives from Kof C and/or Altar Society to gain permission to use some of their utencils and supplies for this party.  Ask about contact names & numbers.   On the day of the party people will be bringing food dishes.  Food dishes may be placed in the in the Parish Activities Center Kitchen or, cold dishes can be placed in the back of the parish RANGER Pick-up Truck parked near the PAC Kitchen with a sign posted on it.  There are "Perry Nursery" labels placed on the counter top in the PAC kitchen & at the parish office front desk with a note about frequently asked questions.   In 2003 we served SAFE House with about 210 persons (150 children & 65 adults) consisting of both, staff and clients.
 

To help contact the Parish Social Ministry Office,  .