Friday, April 22 proved to be a night filled with friends, music and laughter, thanks to the volunteers from St. Columban’s Womens Council at St. Columban and the Knights of Columbus, who organized a free dinner dance for members of the community with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
MONSIGNOR TUAN JOSEPH PHAM DEMONSTRATES A DANCE STEP DURING A DANCE HELD ON APRIL 22 AT ST. COLUMBAN IN GARDEN GROVE.
“I want to have more inclusion,” said dance organizer Hilda Mendez, president of the Women’s Council at St. Columban.
Sixty-eight guests, ranging in age from 18 to their early 60s, accepted her invitation.
“I want everyone to have fun tonight,” she said. “What better place to have fun than the church?”
Guest Joe Hareish, a member of the Knights, agreed with Mendez’s sentiment.
“I’m so glad we could come out tonight, he said. “After COVID, we need to get back to our everyday life.”
DANCE ORGANIZER HILDA MENDEZ AND MARGERY DOOLIN, BOTH MEMBERS OF THE ST. COLUMBAN WOMEN’S COUNCIL, ARE PICTURED DURING THE APRIL 22 DANCE.
Volunteer parishioners and community members worked hard to make it a fun night for all the guests – many of whom didn’t wait to finish dinner before getting up to dance to DJ Frank Vega’s music selections. Monsignor Tuan Joseph Pham, pastor at St. Columban, even took a turn a spin on the dance floor.
Dinner was prepared by students from Garden Grove Unified whose culinary arts and special education teachers who donated their time and resources. Decorations were donated by event planners Maven Event. The photo booth with photographer Joanna Tran was sponsored by insurance company New York Life.
Mendez said she was pleased with how the night went and is already looking forward to planning more events in the future.
“It was a community effort with many volunteers and donations,” Mendez said.