St. Ladislas Parish picnic celebrates 40th anniversary
Richard and Lindsay Gorski with Natalie, Lauren, Andrew, and Anthony ham it up for the camera. Photo by Mike Dickey
St. Ladislas Parish on Bassett Road in Westlake celebrated its 40th anniversary this year with a variety of special service and community events including: family dinners at Ames Family Hospice, special donations to area community centers, parish dinner dance, Cleveland Art Museum tour and program, community service projects in Westlake Schools, Parish Art Fest, Celebration of Marriage, pancake breakfast, ice cream social, video programs on Catholicism, anniversary year fundraiser, Arlington Cemetery program, and ending with an Anniversary Mass and Parish picnic on Aug. 17.
The picnic reflected the ethnic origins of the original St. Ladislas parish in Cleveland’s Slavic Village. Stuffed cabbage, pierogies and brats were added to the typical picnic foods. Entertainment included a DJ, accordion player, line dancing, caricaturist, magician, games for young and old, pie baking contest, and culminating in the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS.
More than 40 participants had ice water poured on them while observers collected nearly $400. Two members of the St. Lad’s parish family had ALS so many donations were given in their memories. The challenge then went out to neighboring parishes of St. Bernadette, St. Raphael and St. Clarence.
The original St. Ladislas was established in Cleveland in 1885 and destroyed by a fire in 1970. In 1973 the decision was made to relocate St. Ladislas to Westlake. The new church was dedicated on Aug. 15, 1974. The stained glass window of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the northeast corner of the church was rescued from the ruins of the old church.
Reverend Donald E. Snyder is the pastor. Check out the website for more information, www.stlads.org.
Joanne Clancy
Retired teacher/administrator Westlake Kiwanis Advisor for Dover Intermediate School K-Kids Active at St. Ladislas Parish