BURRILLVILLE – Christmas season shopping was off to a cheerful start on Friday, Nov. 16 at the Our Lady of Good Help church in Mapleville, located adjacent to the Shrine of the Little Flower – where a circle of statues of saints and the Holy Family stand guard all year long.
At The Wonder of Christmas Bazaar and Crafts Fair shoppers were serenaded by singer Missy Ducharme amid an old-fashioned atmosphere of the holiday decorated church basement, where on occasion “Bingo” calls broke out over the PA system.
Bingo players and shoppers were surrounded at the annual bazaar and crafts fair by tables laden with Christmas decorations, gift baskets, and handmade gifts, as well as cookies and candies.
Our Lady of Good Help parish’s Cindy Manning said she was “grateful for the community support we’ve had all day, and grateful for the volunteers” who are “just wonderful.”
“I couldn’t do without them” she said.
“We’re truly blessed with the people we work with and the people who come here,” said volunteer Nancy Ringer of Oakland who was busy working at a table of gifts. “And the weather worked out.”
Laurie Davis, a volunteer from Harrisville working beside Ringer, said she and others are “very fortunate” to have such a “parish family” as exists at the church.
The annual two-day The Wonder of Christmas Bazaar and Crafts Fair is “a community service,” and it is beneficial to the church community, said organizer Manning, who also credited the event’s success to church clergy Pastor Rev. Jose Parathanal, Associate Pastor Rev. Cyriac Kalampatt and Deacon Rev. Richard Lapierre.
In addition to the Bingo, the penny social raffle featured goodies, such as gift cards from local businesses and other potential holiday presents.
At the kitchen, fish and chips and breakfast sandwiches were available. A wine and cheese party was also held during the two-day Christmas event.
The Wonder of Christmas Bazaar and Crafts Fair experience was “spectacular as always,” said volunteer Marie Adams of North Smithfield while working at the church’s gift shop table alongside volunteer Lorraine Sparrow of Burrilville, and gift shop manager Beverly Munyon.
The gift shop manager, whose book was available for sale alongside other books and statuettes of saints and the Holy Family, said of the event, “it’s been phenomenal.”
Munyon noted “we reduced prices today from the gift shop, so people have a chance to buy things for Christmas.” She added that the gift shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
Some shoppers stopped at the bazaar to buy presents and snack on fish – or to try their luck at raffles.
Working the Pot of Gold table was volunteer Sue Dec of Mendon, Mass. She became a helper at the bazaar because her cousin Lorraine O’Rourke ran it for years.
“I love the workers and the guests,” said Dec. Of the guests, she added “They look forward to this every year. They’re phenomenal, very supportive.”
Customer Julianne Socci of Glocester stopped by the Pot of Gold table. She said the annual bazaar “is a fun event where you can get awesome fish and chips at a good price and with good service,” giving a nod to the kitchen crew. She said she also appreciated the great Christmas music, and the gifts.
The jolly kitchen crew was comprised of two families, the Chretiens and the Beaudreaults.
Silvia Aldredge, who manages web and publications for the church, said she believes the bazaar is “such an important event for community building.” People come out and see the church, and the event is “a good opportunity for the church to get together.” About the volunteers Aldredge added, “it’s a lot for them to be here all day, and we are grateful.”
A young family from North Smithfield was taking in the sights and sounds and getting in some holiday shopping.
“We come every year. We love coming to Christmas bazaars,” said Stephanie Amato.
“There’s a lot of familiar faces,” and the bazaar is “a happy time,” said Seth Amato as his wife and children Lucas, four months old, and Averie age three, took a moment for a photo.
One of those familiar faces at the bazaar is likely that of volunteer Mary Ellen Rivet of Harrisville. The Wonder of Christmas Bazaar and Crafts Fair “is an annual tradition,” that she’s assisted with for many years said Rivet while working at the popular sweet treats table.
As the day wound down, volunteer Annabella Small observed “it’s busy today, and we don’t have much left,” about the treats.
Past organizer Lorraine O’Rourke said “we had a wonderful day,” and that the day included a visit from “lots of parishioners from Saint Thomas Moore in Narragansett. Father Joe was a priest there.”
Our Lady of Good Help, with St. Theresa Shrine and St. Patrick churches comprise The Burrillville Catholic Collaborative; their slogan is “Three churches, one faith community.”
In Mapleville, dusk shrouded the circle of statues of saints and the Holy Family just outside the church basement doors as the staff and workers inside at the event kept going into the night. No doubt as the night wore on they were getting ready for the next busy day of holiday shoppers, Bingo-players, and diners.
