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St. John the Evangelist Parish Community Bazaar opens Thursday

Right, Cecilia Newhart, 8, examines a dress as she helps prepare the flea market items for the St. John the Evangelist Parish Community Bazaar.

Some of the volunteers invite everyone to the St. John the Evangelist Parish Community Bazaar Thursday, Friday and Saturday. In front, Dolores D’Elia and Janet Delaney. Back, Anna Jacobs, Anne Tracy.

Photos by Gary Truax

Above, Mary Ellen Moran with the jar of $5 bills donated to be raffled by the Browntown Belles.

What do you get when you combine four Greater Pittston parishes into one? Some heavenly food at the church bazaar.
That’s what patrons can expect at the annual bazaar of the newly formed, or perhaps more correctly, newly named St. John the Evangelist Parish Community which runs from Thursday through Saturday this week.
After having seen the closing of three parts of their Parish Community and nearly three-and-a-half centuries’ worth of religious celebration, one would think it would be understandable for the parishioners to be down this time. But for the newly-dubbed St. John the Evangelist Parish Community, which forever carries the spirit of St. Casimir’s, St. Joseph’s and St. John the Baptist, this “new start” begins with an old tradition.
For the past eight years, the old Parish Community, a unified quartet of churches, celebrated one bazaar on behalf of their four congregations. This year St. John the Evangelist celebrates their bazaar, August 7-9 from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. each night, as one congregation on behalf of four churches. And it doesn’t seem to be stifling volunteers one bit.
“If anything,” said Bill Naugle, the bazaar’s kitchen coordinator, “it’s created more unity. There’s a bigger pool of people to volunteer.”
Although the bazaar’s main kitchen staff consists of fewer than a dozen parishioners, some of whom gave up their vacations to volunteer, they still estimate they’ll need to make 600 meatball hoagies and the same amount for their renowned porketta sandwiches.
But the kitchen’s menu doesn’t end there.
This year many local favorites are on tap. From their prominent pierogies, Italian roast beef sandwiches and potato pancakes, all the way to their “world-famous” Winnie’s Wimpies, bazaar patrons can find something they’ll love and, eventually, need to go back for seconds.
The bazaar itself is going back for seconds on its cheese steak hoagies. After a successful debut last year, the kitchen is proud to offer a Philadelphia favorite right here in Pittston at the Church and Broad streets parking lot.
Entertainment at the bazaar includes Jolly Joe and the Bavarians Thursday evening. Friday night Somethin’ Else will perform along with a magic show from Pat Ward. Flaxy Morgan performs for the audience on Saturday night, while Msgr. John Bendik, pastor, continues as a regular every evening, entertaining the crowds with his various and unusual hats.
For those needing interactivity with their entertainment, the bazaar boasts many such activities as well. Children can get their faces painted or toss a ring or two in the duck pond. Many customers may find enjoyment winning at the bingo tables or the various lotteries. However, one of the best-known games at the bazaar is the Buckets Galore raffle.
Patrons can place bets for whichever bucket they would prefer to win. Some of the buckets waiting to be claimed are filled with spaghetti ingredients, pet products, shower-related items, a movie night bucket and, courtesy of the Browntown Belles, a bucket filled with five-dollar bills totaling $175, give or take a few nickels, which you may be able to spend at their large flea market.
The flea market runs the same hours as the bazaar and is located just a few feet from the bazaar’s grounds downstairs from the Parish’s office. Savvy shoppers will enjoy their “bag night” the last hour of operation Saturday evening. “They can put in whatever they want,” said Inez Mullany, a flea market volunteer, “for $2 a bag.”
As usual, all proceeds will benefit the St. John the Evangelist Parish Community. “People need to keep that in mind when they’re asked to pay a bit more than they may want to,” reminded Alice Engleman, a parishioner and flea market volunteer. “All the money goes to the church,” she said. “And we get to go to Heaven.”