There is a quiet peace spreading across the parking lot at Saint Mary Catholic Church on a mild Saturday evening in late September.
Yet a festival will soon explode into excitement, a celebration of Saint Mary Catholic School and the legacy of Catholic education in small towns like Ponca City.
Parishioners still celebrating the Vigil Mass and a few early birds walk into the parking lot, their cars parked throughout the neighborhood ahead of the event. It is a beautiful night, perfect weather for a cherished festival and a celebration of the school, a private education at home in Kay County.
The event is the annual Fall Fest, where community supporters from all backgrounds come together to support the legacy of Saint Mary Catholic School.
“We were certainly blessed by great weather,” said Wade Laffey, principal at Saint Mary Catholic School, “and I had a really committed core of parents, teachers and parishioners who took it upon themselves to make Fall Fest fantastic, a gift of self and heart and love to the whole Saint Mary Community.”
The Fall Festival is a fundraising event created to support the school, specifically its teachers and what they need in the classroom. It is the Parent Teacher Council (PTC) that annually puts on the event and has continued nearly each year for more than half a century.
“The organization raises money for the teachers in the classroom,” said committee member Jill Cobb. “One hundred percent goes back to the teachers and their classrooms.”
Jamie Steichen is a teacher who has seen that in action. She is the third-grade educator at the school, but also serves on the committee.
“Not only does it bring together the church and school community, but it raises funds that the PTC can use in different ways,” she said. “We use it to upgrade technology. It allows the teachers to get supplies for the classrooms.
“We also use the funds as well to have fun activities for the kids, like a movie night and activities for Catholic Schools Week. It helps the school a lot.”
For those exiting the Vigil Mass, they were soon met with the aroma of food cooking, including hotdogs, and sausages. The dinner portion of the event was spearheaded by parishioner Istla Aguilar, with the food itself cooked by the Knights of Columbus. Salads were provided by schoolteachers.
It wasn’t just the food, however. The area wass alive with activities, starting with a petting zoo provided by New Life Trails. Games were organized by Hattie Steichen, with help from volunteers.
First Responder vehicles were available with a Ponca City Police cruiser and ambulance, along with bouncy houses in the church’s south parking lot.
Inside, both a live and silent auction were held, with more than 140 items available to participants as Mayor Homer Nicholson served as auctioneer.
“That was a plus,” Cobb said.
The Fall Fest was deemed a success.
“It is a yearly reminder of the impact of both Saint Mary Catholic School and the Church impacting so many people, the values and sense of belonging,” Laffey said.
Everett Brazil, III is a freelance writer for The Sooner Catholic.