by Mary Rupert
Volunteers today were busy at the Holy Family Club and basement at 513 Ohio St., Kansas City, Kan., making sarma and traditional food to get ready for Saturday’s eighth annual Slovenefest.
Volunteers are preparing traditional Slovenian foods including about 1,000 sarma (cabbage rolls), 150 pounds of potato salad and 200 apple strudels.
Sandy Sachen Cannon, who is in charge of the preparations, said volunteers have been working on the festival since June or July. The Slovenefest event is focused on preserving Slovenian heritage, bringing people back to the community, and it is a fundraiser with proceeds going toward maintaining church property.
Cannon said she expects people to be coming to the Slovenefest from as far away as Nebraska, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas and Alabama – all places where their jobs have taken those who grew up at Holy Family Church and School. The parish is more than 100 years old.
Besides the traditional foods, the festival will feature a silent auction, booths and souvenirs, live music and dancing, she said. The events will take place at 509 to 513 Ohio at the Holy Family Club and the Monsignor Mejak Hall, gym and school grounds, which are just a few blocks east of the Holy Family Church.
The event begins around 5 p.m., after the 4 p.m. Mass, Saturday at Holy Family Catholic Church, and the festival will end at 10 p.m. Saturday.
The Brian McCarty Band and Hrvatski Obicaj will entertain at the festival.
Cannon said last year more than 600 meals were served at the Slovenefest, and she is looking forward to a large turnout this year, also.
Cannon, a graduate of Bishop Ward High School, said what she likes the best about volunteering with this festival are the volunteers – “the people. I love them all, every one of them.”
Sachen also volunteers with the chili bingo event on the second Saturday of November, and the taco bingo event on the second weekend of March at the Holy Family club.
Food is one way that traditions are passed on in Slovenian families. Several volunteers were helping Friday, preparing sarma and other traditional foods. Sachen warmly recalls her childhood days of cooking and making potica and other foods with her grandmother.
At the Slovenefest dinner Saturday, those attending will choose between polnjene paprika (stuffed peppers) and sarma (cabbage rolls), kranjska klobasa (smoked sausage), and krvavica (a specialty sausage). Also on the menu is sauerkraut, potato salad, green beans, one dessert and a beverage. The cost of the meal will be $15.
There will be a large private auction at the event, with items such as original art by Marge Kostelac Lyons, a basketball signed by KU coach Bill Self, a fire pit, a basket of Royals collectors’ items, and a quilt.
Cannon isn’t worried about the potential of rain on Saturday. Slovenefest will be held rain or shine, and if there is a lot of rain, events can be moved indoors to the gym and the basement.
What an excellent article, it covered all that was happening. The Slovenefest was a great success. Thank You