Great Food, Music, and Sunshine at our Volunteer Appreciation Barbeque
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GUESTS at The Celtic Connection volunteer appreciation barbeque (L-R) [Standing back row]: Neville Thomas, Tom Butler, Colleen Carpenter, Mavis Williams, Maura De Freitas- McCay (Editor/Publisher), Bill Duncan, Kareen Duncan, Catholine Butler, Joanne Long, Jim Carbin, Kevin Boggan and Eifion Williams. [Seated] Sharon Brown, Bernice Carracher, Bill Carracher, Doug Medley, Stephanie Boggan and Cathy Thomas. [Missing from the photo is Angie Park.]
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IT WAS Bill Duncan's birthday and Maura surprised him with a birthday cake at the barbeque.
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By CATHOLINE BUTLER & MAURA De FREITAS
VANCOUVER - Anyone involved with a community-based organization knows that at the heart and centre of every successful undertaking is a core of volunteers working behind the scenes. These dedicated people are the unheralded heroes who keep the wheels rolling and work for the benefit of many others.
Here at The Celtic Connection we have a solid group of volunteers who, month in and month out, help to bring each issue to our readers and to all the Celtic groups and organizations this paper serves.
These volunteers range from monthly columnists to our distribution team who work through rain and hail and sleet and snow to deliver the paper.
On April 26, we hosted a Celtic Connection volunteer appreciation barbeque in the garden of Maura and José De Freitas to say thank you to everyone for all their hard work and loyalty.
We were blessed with glorious sunshine and a sumptuous meal was lovingly prepared by chef José. The best thing about the day was to finally have an opportunity to sit down together and socialize.
So often when we meet it's in the frenzy of working on a deadline with the paper or in full distribution mode so there just isn't the time for any kind of a conversation except getting the job done.
Our volunteers are an interesting and fun group of individuals who work in various fields and many also volunteer at other endeavours.
Maura and Jose turned their garage into a bar and banquet area and this is where everyone congregated. The garage was cosy enough to be an Irish snug with a long table and chairs set up for the group luncheon.
Doug Medley brought along his fiddle and in no time at all, we had jigs and reels, spoon players and singers with lots of talent around the table - you would have thought that you were at an impromptu Celtic music session. It was a fun day with lots of laughs and a few jokes.
We are very grateful for the support of our loyal volunteers, their contribution is vital to the continued success of The Celtic Connection. Thank you all most sincerely.
Unfortunately not all our volunteers were able to join us at the barbeque. Among those absent were Dave and Diane Abbott, Frank and Brenda Dudfield, Paddy Connolly, Linda Robb, Kathy and Ed Griffin, Oliver Grealish, Melissa Estelle, Nanci Spieker, John and Maureen Keane, Finian and Sally Rowland, and Jim Foskin.
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