Monday, July 28, 2014
By ROBERT CONNELLY
YOUNGSTOWN
A Serbian church community gathered for its annual picnic Sunday.
The Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, 53 Laird Ave., celebrated its 82nd Annual Serbian Day Picnic of Youngstown from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.
George Mirich Sr., president of the church’s board, said the event is “very important to kind of keep the tradition and culture of the church and Serbian people.”
Though the event had to deal with rain and a tornado watch, Mirich said some people came back who earlier had left because of the weather. He said the event usually attracts about 400 people.
“We have a lot of people that have moved out of the area and will come back for this event.”
The event featured live music from Libby’s Tamburitzans and Velibor Drobnjak. Attendees paid a $3 admission fee, and lunch tickets were on sale for barbecue lamb and pork, Serbian rice and other dishes.
This is the biggest fundraiser for the church, which also hosts a fish fry from 3:30 to 7 p.m. every Friday. “Any profit we make is for the operation of the church,” Mirich said.
First vice president of the church’s board, Nick Mitovich, said the event takes two to three months of preparation and is a big reunion. Both men said people who have left the area for work come back for the event.
“It helps bring everyone back and reminds them that the church is still here,” Mitovich said. “If we didn’t have the church to bring us together, we wouldn’t have this.”
Many families sat together and ate or danced as live music played at the picnic. Some children were running around while others played in a bounce house that had been set up. The church, founded in 1924, is celebrating its 90th year.
“A lot of people put a lot of work into this,” Mirich said as the music continued to play and families celebrated.