25th Annual St. Patrick's Party for Holy Cross Church, 1979

Summary

The January 1979 Beaver Beacon announced “The 25th Annual St. Patrick’s Party,” scheduled for March 10, 1979, at St. Kevin’s Church Hall, 10513 Torrence Avenue, Chicago — the venue returning to St. Kevin’s after the 1978 edition’s move to West Hall in Dolton — with the Bill Galik Band providing entertainment for a $5.00 per-person donation. No later 1979 issue is known to report the outcome.

Twenty-five years back from 1979 again places the founding party in 1955 (1979 − 24 = 1955), the eighth directly stated ordinal in the held run (after the 7th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th editions already held) to independently corroborate that year. This edition’s ordinal chains directly, one year at a time, from 24th Annual St. Patrick's Party for Holy Cross Church, 1978 the year before.

This is the last edition of the Chicago numbered series directly attested here. No held Beaver Beacon issue after March 1979 names a 26th (or later) annual Chicago St. Patrick’s party, though the paper continues to be held through 2011. Scattered 1980s references to a St. Patrick’s party in the Beacon are to different institutions entirely — the island’s own annual Holy Cross Parish dance (e.g., 1984), the Beaver Island Club of Grand Rapids’ own annual party at St. Isidore’s Hall (1988–1989), and an informal Port Charlotte, Florida gathering (1989) — not the numbered Chicago series tied to St. Kevin’s Church Hall and Rev. Bernard Scheid.

Program

A $5.00 per-person donation at St. Kevin’s Church Hall, with dancing and entertainment by the Bill Galik Band (a change from the Bill Stack Band named in most earlier held editions), buffet lunch, and door prizes, under Rev. Bernard Scheid’s pastorate.

Evidence limits

This edition is documented only by its single advance announcement. No issue is known to report whether the party was held as planned, its attendance, or its proceeds — and no later issue in the held run (which continues through 2011) documents a subsequent numbered edition of this specific Chicago series.

Added 3 August 2026 · revised 4 August 2026. Recent changes