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WEST OAK LANE >> Colorful hats, lace table cloths and porcelain teapots pouring hot water into floral cups mounted on saucers were the hallmark of a spring tea held by the St. Athanasius Catholic Community to add more funds to the coffers that supports the church located at Limekiln Pike and Walnut Lane in West Oak Lane, the adjacent school and its worship site, formerly St. Benedicts Church at 1930 E. Chelten Ave.

Louise Frasier, the brainchild of many of the church fundraisers, decided to have an afternoon tea. With a menu of tea sandwiches, bite size cakes and pastries and hot tea, dozens of women and girls put on traditional dresses and broad-brimmed sometimes stunning hats. The backdrop was a video screen that showed motion pictures like Hidden Figures. This event raised another $2,000 for the parish community, according to Frasier.

I just love putting together things like this, Frasier said. Many of the cups and teapots are from my own collection. I just love sharing with the church ladies. I learned a lot about catering working with family in New York ... I found I loved doing it and Ive been hosting events ever since.

The event was hosted by the Knights of Peter Clavers Ladies Auxiliary, Court 342, headquartered at St. Athanasius. While some of the knights were on hand to take photographs or carry trays, this was clearly a ladies afternoon. Though about half present were St. Athanasius members, it was clearly an ecumenical affair as many from other Northwest Philadelphia churches were present.

Yet what stood out at the soiree was the colorful array of spring headwear. One could find Shayne Crawford, who readily admitted that she had not been to church in a while. When her grandmother told her about the tea party, she said, she figured she would show off her deep gold hat and support the family church.

This is great and amazing, Crawford said. Everyone just looks so fancy. I am having such a good time seeing all the members wearing their hats. I have not been here in a long time, and it feels good to be here.

Friends Hazel Coleman and Gloria Hicks were proud to show off their gold and lime hats, respectively. Coleman, a member of the Bethesda Church that meets on New Covenant Churchs Germantown Avenue campus, said she loves going to church-based tea parties.

There was a time when women did not go to church without wearing a hat, Coleman said. I used to be known as the Hat Lady, and I still have all my hats. I even had a show about hats on WDAS, but I am not on the air anymore. Now I usually only wear my hats on Mothers Day or Easter, so its good to have a chance to wear them, Coleman said.

Hicks, too, is a church hat lover. She has been a member of St. Athanasius for more than 50 years. She said the Ladies Auxiliary, an arm of the African-American national knights organization, is always coming up with fresh ideas about ways of raising monies for the parish.

I think this is lovely because you feel spring-like, Hicks said. Its been a lot of dreary weather lately. When you wear a spring-like hat, it is very uplifting.

Crystal Bell, one of the charter members of the St. Athanasius ladies court, said she has been a church member for 40 years and with the Ladies Auxiliary for more than 20 years. For her, it was a chance to encourage new members, like Hicks, to come on board.

This is truly a labor of love, Bell said.

Janice E. Paige was seated close to 97-year-old Reava Carson, who was the oldest hat wearer at the tea party. Relatives Wendy Howell and Merlie Heyward were showing off their broad brimmed brightly colored straw hats.

The Rev. Joseph Okonski dropped by the event to see the crowd and get a bite to eat. He said he was pleased with the full house in attendance.

The place looks beautiful, and everyone looks very sharp and elegant, Okonski said.

Originally posted here:
Tea party fundraiser supports West Oak Lane church - Montgomery Newspapers