Friday, March 7th, 2003

As we entered the tropical sock hop in the St. Joan of Arc gym, we all got "lei’d". You know, we were given a wreath of plastic flowers similar to those worn around the necks in Hawaii.

After donating a food shelf item, getting name tags and contributing our snack to share, we gazed upon our tropical setting. Well, the two year old and I gazed - the older girls had already kicked off their shoes and set out for the dancing. What a great set up! Dancing! Volleyball! Hair-braiding and face painting! Tropical crafts, food and a cake walk! The gym was magically transformed by the brightly colored tables, fish decor, paper palm trees and even shiny, tiny tropical confetti placed on each of the tables. Of course, the highlight of the decor (and it always will be for me) was the disco ball. I noticed that the disco ball was still placed high in the gym’s ceiling for Sunday Mass.

Cristine Patlan, with husband Mike and daughter Cecelia

Having missed the Twist, the first of the many dance contests, I set off to find the brainchild behind having the Tropical Sock Hop. I spotted her in her full glory (a Hawaiian shirt and hula dress) and asked Cristine Patlan, the preschool coordinator for St. Joans, “why a sock hop?” She told me that with the threat of a looming war, drastic budget cuts and least of all the weather, we need a stress reliever. My sentiments exactly.

And why come to the sock hop on this cold winter evening? Patrick, aged maybe four, gave a less heady answer than Cristine’s: “My Mom drove me.” And Grace, aged eight, said, “last year they gave out prizes.” Just as I was approaching my next sock hopper, I was cut short. Why? The limbo had started. This was followed by the ever popular cha cha shuffle.

After we caught our breaths, I returned to the question, “What is the best thing about the sock hop?”: It is fun for all ages; My kids look forward to this all year; This is the closest we get to the tropics for spring break; The kids that come here; You get to wear your summer clothes; The dancing; The music … and (one we never hear from children at St. Joans) THE COOKIES! Mark closed the comment session with, “it is the gidgetist of all the sock hops I’ve ever been to!”

Jill Dauth has lived in Minnesota most of her life and wouldn't consider herself very tropical. She has enjoyed growing spiritually for 8 years at St. Joans - so much so she and her husband are candidates to become Catholic in the RCIA program. We have four wonderful daughters, so have felt compelled to volunteer in the preschool program and nursery.

Amie Rankin, a resident of the Regina Neighborhood, believes strongly in balancing "community solutions" and "individual responsibility ". She is passionately committed to the exposure and the expansion of Companion Animals in our society. Employed full time with Chicago Title Insurance Company, Amie has many interests; photography is just one of them. "Heart," "Spark," "Spirit," -- whatever word we use for the mysterious force that animated us, its full potential cannot be realized in isolation. (Paul Loeb- SOUL OF A CITIZEN)

So many kudos to those who planned and helped at the sock hop. And a special thanks to Rick for his 3rd year of providing us with his wonderful DJ'ing talent and music. We were all in agreement that this event and others like it help build the community of St. Joans of Arc where we are supported and truly welcomed wherever we are on our journey. Even a tropical one!

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