Beaver Island St. Patrick’s Day benefit programs announced for 1965

Event

Dates

1965-03-13 – 1965-03-21

Kind

Announcement

Where

Beaver Island

Participants

Rosemary Zajakowski (organizer) · Bernard O’Donnell (organizer)

Followed by

Beaver Island St. Patrick’s Day parties are announced for Chicago and Lansing, 1966

Eras

Modern era

Concepts

catholicismcommunityeconomymigration

Within

Beaver Island

Summary

The Beaver Beacon announced several St. Patrick’s-season programs for 1965, on and off the island: a Chicago benefit party for Holy Cross Church, a Lansing dinner of the Beaver Island Association of Michigan, a St. James card party for the Holy Cross Altar Society’s kitchen fund, and an island dinner. The April issue reported record attendance at the Chicago and Lansing parties, and the May issue reported the Chicago party sent $300 to Holy Cross Church.

History

The February 1965 Beacon previewed the Lansing and Chicago parties, both set for 13 March. The Lansing dinner, held by the Beaver Island Association of Michigan at the Knights of Columbus Hall on North Capitol Avenue, was priced at $3.75 a ticket, with reservations through secretary Charles C. Early; the notice explained the hall was chosen for its central location, 500-person capacity, public-address system, bar, and dance floor. The Chicago party, at the Stelmaszck Walter Post No. 792 on Commercial Avenue, was co-chaired by Rosie McDonough Zajakowski, daughter of Mary and Bert McDonough, and Bernard O’Donnell, son of Elsie and James O’Donnell, with proceeds designated for Holy Cross Church. The same pairing had chaired the Chicago party the year before: the April 1964 Beacon credits “Rosie McDonough and Bernard O’Donnell” for a 13 March 1964 party that likewise drew a record attendance and thanks them for “the excellent job they did,” so 1965 was at least their second consecutive year organizing it. The same issue described a 21 March “Smorgasbord Dinner” at the Shamrock on the island.

The March issue repeated the Chicago and Lansing dates and added two St. James programs: an 17 March card party at $1 a person benefiting the Altar Society’s Kitchen Improvement Fund, with refreshments and door prizes, and a 21 March “Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner” at the Holy Cross Parish Hall, priced at $1 for adults, 50 cents for first through sixth grade, and free for preschoolers. The March notice gives the parish hall as the venue for the 21 March dinner, which does not match February’s “Smorgasbord Dinner…at the Shamrock”; the two issues describe what reads as the same island dinner differently, and this article does not resolve which is correct.

The April issue reported that the 13 March Chicago and Lansing parties both drew “record attendances” and that “a good time was had by all who attended.” It described the Chicago party’s purpose as benefiting Holy Cross Parish and the Lansing party’s as building goodwill between islanders and those interested in the island’s development, and added that “there has been some misunderstandings between the two parties, which is really too bad, for both are intended for the good of the Island and both are very much needed” — without specifying what the misunderstanding was.

The May 1965 “Late Report” stated that the Chicago party sent a total of $300 to Holy Cross Church on Beaver Island, dating the party to 14 March rather than the 13 March given in the February, March, and April issues.

Evidence and limits

Five consecutive 1965 issues (February through May), plus an April 1964 issue read for organizer continuity, document these programs from announcement through a partial financial result, but do not supply attendance counts, receipts for the Lansing or St. James programs, or a full account of the reported “misunderstandings” between the Chicago and Lansing parties. The March-dinner venue (Shamrock vs. parish hall) and Chicago-party date (13 vs. 14 March) are internal disagreements in the source record itself.

Added 2 August 2026 · revised 3 August 2026. Recent changes