The children in Borgne, Haiti, will be having their meal each day for the rest of this school year thanks to the success of the Mardi Gras/Carnival on February 6, 2016, at The Mendon Community Center.
This joint effort of the Friends of Borgne and Honeoye Falls/Borgne Sister Cities was a fiesta of jambalaya, macaroni and cheese, chicken, Kings Cake, brownies and other goodies made by Florence Lissade, Orla, Mehalie, and Joaimee Lissade, Kevin Foos, Diane Nies, and Diane Attea. Masks and beads decorated the tables as well as the participants. Cathy Nye, HF-L High School French teacher sent students to help with decorations, serving and face painting. They were Hannah Kaurman, Claire Cuffney, Tessa Colaizzi, Brie Sanders, Abby Marra, MacGregor, Caylin Perryman, Courtney Alexander, Natalie Wick, Nicole Charland, Rachel Clough, Megan Forney, Lydia Barber, Emma Hagreen, Megan Slymon, and Carolyn Allison.
Kirsti Shields and her daughter Isabella did maskmaking with the children. Joan Beinetti, Diane and Bill Nies, Susan Mann, The Seven Nations Antique Shop, Paula Smith, Kathy Lenahan, Jane Hallinen, Honeoye Falls Distillery, Lynn Burse, Tamara Stopinski, Sean Sullivan, and Richard Haviland donated items for the Silent Auction. Steve Melcher and Kaiden Deusendorf donated their wonderful New Orleans piano playing. Joel Lissade contributed Haitian music. Patrick Brennan designed a beautiful flyer. Maureen Conley helped with decorating.
The churches in Honeoye Falls posted flyers and bulletin ads along with the Genesee Valley Pennysaver and The Sentinel. Businesses posted flyers in their windows. The Town of Mendon donated the space. Erica Bryant wrote an article for the Democrat and Chronicle which drew many more attendees as well as lots of donated backpacks. This year, over 250 children are able to go to school in Borgne thanks to the combined efforts of Friends of Borgne and HF/Borgne Sister Cities. Good work! It took a village!
