St. Francis club holds event for seniors
By Laura Pavin Contributor December 15, 2011 10:35AM
Lake Zurich 12/8/11 Jeanne Quist, of Lake Zurich, and St. Francis de Sales eighth-graders, Taylor Spula, of Hawthorn Woods, and Allie Wayland, of Hawthorn Woods, play bingo during a Beta Club bingo and breakfast event at St. Francis de Sales, in Lake Zurich, on Thursday, December 8, 2011. | Ruthie Hauge ~ Sun-Times Media
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Updated: January 16, 2012 8:04AM
St. Francis de Sales School’s Beta Club and Lake Zurich’s Keenager community emanated cheer that is typically reserved for families on Christmas morning Dec. 8, as they spread the holiday spirit with communal bonding and competitive rounds of bingo at St. Francis de Sales church’s Valker Hall, 135 W. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich.
After attending a special mass organized by the eighth grade service-based Beta Club in honor of the Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the senior citizen parish community was invited to join the club for breakfast, bingo and prizes on the church’s lower level.
Prizes given to bingo-winning Keenagers were student-donated, and included holiday mugs, candy, soaps, ornaments, books and puzzles.
“This is sort of a social time for both the Keenagers and the Beta Club kids,” said event coordinator and sixth grade teacher Linda Dodds. “A lot of the senior citizens’ grandkids live out of state, so they get to see the kids and it’s a nice interaction for them.”
In the midst of her multiple Bingo victories and prizes including a crucifix ornament and front door “welcome” sign, Keenager and Lake Zurich resident Dorothy Keenan was most grateful for the time and effort students put into organizing the event.
“I think it’s wonderful that the kids do this,” Keenan said. “It’s an event I don’t miss.”
Lake Zurich resident Jerry Cullum felt that the event was a nice way to begin his first year in the local fellowship.
“This is my inaugural event as a Keenager,” Cullum joked. “St. Francis is a nice group—and everyone seems to be having a good time.”
As a fellowship open to all Lake Zurich residents and parishioners 55 years old and up, the Keenagers organize monthly to build new friendships, provide assistance at community events and spend time with St. Francis de Sales school students.
St. Francis Beta Club students and the Keenagers also joined forces the month prior to collect nonperishable food items for the local St. Vincent de Paul food pantry Thanksgiving week.
Third-grade teacher and fellow event coordinator Judy Renner explained that although the Keenagers enjoy helping Beta club collect nonperishables, the Bingo Party is something they look forward to all fall.
“We’ve gotten to know them through the years, and they always tell us that this is the best event with the best students—and I always agree,” Renner said.
Renner added that because of the delicate nature of work students must engage in, prospective members must possess a history of good classroom behavior and an above-average academic standing before they can join Beta Club.
Dodds said that in addition to setting an example for the school’s younger students, members should be trustworthy when granted out-of-class time for service work.
Both the event’s seamless execution and beaming Keenagers proved Beta Club’s 18 student members to be worthy of the trust in which they were granted.
Beta Club President Nick Holaday felt that the event was a well-executed good time, and that he was glad to be of service to the local senior citizens.
“I’m just happy to serve our community,” Holaday said.
Club member Monique Pineda had a fun time reading out the bingo numbers and talking to her table’s Keenagers.
“I didn’t expect Beta Club to be this fun,” Pineda said. “The Keenagers and I talked about how they went to the high school I plan on going to!”
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