The Penny Carnival is one of the biggest fundraisers at St. Joseph's School on 2 Summit St. It is open to the public and will be held at the school from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 20.

The carnival features games, inflatables, food, prizes, raffles and a $1,000 cash giveway. There are also some new features this year, like the Slam 'N Jam inflatable for basketball fans, Sponge Bob Bowling, and the raffling off of an iPod TOUCH with accessories.

The following tickets may be purchased from any SJS student:

Green tickets- $1,000 Cash Giveaway. $1 per ticket or six tickets for $5.

Ivory tickets- Giant Variety Raffle, including more than 100 prizes donated by SJS parents and friends, as well as local businesses and merchants. $1 per ticket or six tickets for $5.

Yellow tickets- Basket Raffle, featuring themed baskets -- including "Baking," "Kids," "Bath-n-Beauty," "Movie Basket" and others -- put together by each SJS class; participants will write their choice down on the ticket. $0.50 per ticket or 12 tickets for $5.

Pink tickets- $100+ Lottery Raffle (for $100 worth of lottery tickets); $1 per ticket or six tickets for $5.

Blue tickets- iPod Touch and Accessories; $1 per ticket or six tickets for $5.

Advance tickets for games and food are $0.20 and will be available in the SJS main office on Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19; tickets purchased on March 20 will be $0.25.

Please contact the school for more information; a list of sponsors can be found on its website.

Mrs. Case's first-grade class at St. Joseph School go outside every Wednesday during recess-time for some fun in the snow.  Pictured are Mrs. Case with Aiden Berne as he readies himself for a speedy-ride.

Photo submitted by Nora O'Neill

In celebration of Catholic Schools Week St. Joseph School of Batavia will be hosting an Open House on Sunday, January 31st.  Everyone is invited to join the celebration beginning with a Family Mass at 11:30. All are then encouraged to join us at the School for a 1PM luncheon reception and Open House.  Please call the school office with any questions:  343-6154.  Hope to see you there.

Where's Santa Claus?

Here he is!

(You can't tell, but he is smiling underneath the beard.)

Wait a minute...here he is again!

Bella March (upper left) and siblings Violet (lower left) and Norman, sitting with Santa. Photo courtesy of Kelly March.

You'll always catch fleeting glimpses of the Man in the Red Suit at Christmastime. Our own Howard Owens spotted him on Main Street last week. You're likely to catch him at the mall at least once, and you might even see him on the front lawns of festively decorated houses (although for some reason he never seems to feel like talking in those instances).

If you live in Batavia, you could have found him this weekend where his two favorite things were present: families and food.

Santa's weekend in Batavia kicked off with the "Supper with Santa" at St. Joseph's School, an annual event sponsored and funded by St. Joe's home school association, SOS (Supporters of St. Joseph's) and catered by Paulie's Pizzeria. On Saturday morning he was at John Kennedy Elementary School's "Pancake Breakfast with Santa," which was put on by the John Kennedy Parent Group (JKPG).

Good Saint Nick had no shortage of admirers at either event. Children waited in long lines to tell him their Christmas wishes. Most people would probably become overwhelmed trying to keep track of each child's Christmas list, but it was no problem for Santa. His ability to remember non-written Christmas lists comes from his talent for seeing and appreciating each child's unique personality.

"All it takes," Santa said, "is to see their faces and hear their voices."

Santa at St. Joe's with, left to right, Nicky Ventola and Moira and Clara Werner. Photo courtesy of Nora O'Neill.

The kids got an up-close look at Santa's personality, too.

"He's very fun," St. Joe's first-grader Amanda Bergman said. "Fun to be with."

Knowing such an important visitor was coming, parents and staff of both schools spent a lot of time in preparation.

"We always plan a year in advance," said Nora O'Neill, marketing director for St. Joe's. "Soon after the event is over, we start planning for the next year."

...Kind of like Santa himself, who prepares for Christmas Eve a year ahead!

JKPG President Shari Ange credits parent Sherri Wahr with coming up with the idea for the Pancake Breakfast at the group's last meeting three months ago.

"We used to have a breakfast at Applebee's for Easter," Ange said. "Sherri thought it would be great to have a breakfast with Santa. Hopefully we can make this an annual thing."

The annual Popcorn Ball to benefit St. Joseph School is being overseen by Jill Kratz. The Nov. 14 event will celebrate the school's Golden Anniversary -- 50 years of excellence in education.

The selection of Kratz was not happenstance for this momentous occassion. It was made in no small part because of her roots in the community.

She is the granddaughter of the original Popcorn Ball organizers -- Anthony and Teresa Peca.

Although the world is vastly different from the way it was in 1959, some things remain constant. One of them is the care and attention that volunteers and parents contribute to St. Joseph's.

Kratz is active in the Home School Association, which is sponsor of this year's Popcorn Ball. Jill and her husband, John, have three children, one at home and two attending St. Joseph School.
 
The organizing committee would like to encourage alumni to join in the 50th anniversary celebration. Jill Kratz says any photographs of past galas would be gratefully appreciated.

The Popcorn Ball will be held from 6 p.m. until midnight at the school, located at 2 Summit Drive in Batavia. Music will be provided by Rochester’s The RatPack. Dinner will be catered by Alex’s Place.

For further information please call Mrs. Kratz at 585-219-4405 or email her at jcjk2003@aol.com.

Friday Oct. 16 6-10p.m. at Darien Lake Theme Park you can experience the "spooky" side of the park. Open Sat. noon-10p.m. and Sun. noon-8 p.m.

Friday night Bingo at St. Mary's Church. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. game begins at 7:30 p.m. Split pots, progressive pot, raffles and food available. All proceeds benefit the children of St. Joseph School.

Friday night there is a Ghost Walk at the Engine House in Batavia. Learn about Batavia's dark side. Guided tours led by cloaked guides with laterns. There are two tours, 8 p.m. and 8:30 pm. Reservations required. The cost is $10-20. Call 585-344-2550 ext. 2613

Saturday there is a Halloween Candlelight Cemetery Tour at the Batavia Cemetery. Cost is $10-20. For more information call, 585- 343-0248

Saturday is the Holiday Hollow Halloween and Pirate Festival in Corfu from 11-5p.m. Click here for more info.

Saturday the 10th annual GCASA Awards ceremony is being held at the Holiday Inn at 6:30 pm. Cost is $30.

Sunday at the Stewart Steiner Theater, "Colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" by Ntozake Shange will be showing at 7:30 pm. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for students, GCC Faculty and senior citizens $3.

St. Joseph School of Batavia, Vacation Bible School
"Adventure Canyon"
August 3rd - 7th
9AM - Noon
ages entering-K through grade-6
$5 per child
$12 for family of 3 or more
call 343-9660 to register

Friday Night Bingo at St. Mary's Church Hall

• Doors open at 5:30, games begin at 7:30
• Split pots
• progressive pot
• raffles
• food available
  

All proceeds benefit the children of St. Joseph School

Students from St. Joseph School planted flags on the graves of veterans at St. Joseph's Cemetery yesterday. Nora O'Neill submitted this photo and the one below.

Here is a schedule of Monday's Memorial Day events sponsored by Genesee County Veteran's Services.

7:00 a.m. - Genesee County Park - (Vietnam Veterans of America)

8:00 a.m. - Williams Park

8:30 a.m. - Batavia VA MedicalCenter

8:40 a.m.- New York State Veterans’ Nursing Home

9:00 a.m.- United Memorial Medical Center

9:30 a.m.- Upton Monument

10:15 a.m.- Parade -- forms at Aldi’s market at 9:15 a.m. – travels west on Main Street, left onto Harvester to Veterans’ Plot

11:00 a.m - Veterans’ Plot (Harvester Avenue)

Barbara Bezon stands besides a Chevy Malibu LS that Resurrection Parish is raffling off as a fund-raiser for the church and St. Joseph's School. The car is provided by Ken Barret Chevy-Cadillac. The winner can select the car or $10,000 cash (taxes will be withheld). The drawing will be held during the Resurrection Parish Lawn Fete, June 12, 13 and 14.  Bezon spent the afternoon at a table outside the church selling tickets.

St. Joseph School held a "Walk for Education" this morning. Grades 4 through 8 were out walking this morning from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., all wearing St. Joseph's bright-blue t-shirts.

More photos after the jump.