During this 2024 season, our thoughts and prayers are with the workers and farm owners for a safe and successful year. This year, we are grateful that many of the men are a part of our worshipping communities at St. Saviour, Orono and St. Paul, Beaverton. They tell us that they find in our churches a warm and welcoming place to worship and a supportive community. We are honored to be a part of that.
Every June, we hold welcome dinners for the workers in Orono and Beaverton. In Orono, this year’s dinner was held at Orono Town Hall, with 100 workers present. The men were treated to a wonderful dinner provided by our parish host, the Rev. Canon Kit Greaves and his volunteers from Christ Memorial Church, Oshawa. We had a great meal, sang hymns, listened to a short sermon and had games with prizes.
In Beaverton, the Rev. Canon Ted McCollum and volunteers from St. Paul’s hosted the dinner, with about 45 men in attendance. Kim McCollum and the volunteers prepared a delicious Mexican meal for them.
The men appreciate these get-togethers, as they already have a connection with the parishes when they come back to Canada to work in our fields. They are from Mexico and Caribbean countries like Jamaica and Barbados. These welcome meals in Orono and Beaverton are great events where we welcome the men and pray with them and the farms for a good and safe season.
Cricket was a great escape for me