St Rocco Volunteer Appreciation Celebration - Oct 6

For the last time ever, booths have been dismantled, grills have been stored and aprons have been folded following the 40th and final St. Rocco Festival of Food which closed on August 12, 2018. The event began in 1979 as the brainchild of Father Michael Guarino who sought to create a religious, social and cultural event in Franklin. In addition to the variety of entertainment over the years, what most people remember is the food – many booths featuring everything from fried clams, calzones and sausages to authentic Italian pastries and fried dough. And the memories created each year would not be possible without the hundreds of volunteers who were the heart and soul of the festival.

On October 6, St. Mary’s Parish will celebrate all who made St. Rocco possible during its 40-year run. Invitations have been sent electronically to individuals who have volunteered in any capacity over the years. Anyone who has volunteered at any time, whether staffing a booth for a few hours, helping with setup or showing up for cleanup, is invited to attend.

The event will begin with a Mass of thanksgiving at 4:00 at St. Mary’s Church in Franklin. Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Michael Guarino, founder of the St. Rocco Festival, and will feature special music by St. Mary’s choir. Following Mass there will be a reception at the Guidery Student Center at Dean College, open to all. As part of the celebration, there will be special recognition of those extraordinary people who have volunteered at every one of the 40 Feast of Rocco Festivals.

Festival memorabilia will be on display at the celebration to give guests a peek back through the window of time. On display will be old booth signage, a variety of aprons and photos of memories throughout the years. Family and friends are what the Feast of St. Rocco was built on and celebrating the people who helped make it happen is the purpose of this event.

To ensure plentiful food and ample seating, a head count is needed by Monday, September 24 at high noon! If you have helped at any St. Rocco Festival in the past 40 years and have not received an invitation by email, please contact the St. Mary’s Parish Rectory. And if you know of any volunteer who may not know about this event, please ask them to reach out as well. Contact Paula Coughlin by email at parishpublishing@stmarysfranklin.org or by phone at 508-528-0020.

St Rocco Volunteer Appreciation Celebration - Oct 6