Sedeljka 2005 - Report

Nearly $1600 is in already from our 12th "Sedeljka" or family house party and dance.More is sure to follow from our fun loving and loyal supporters. This is especially important this year since a portion of these funds went for tsunami relief through Bloomsburg Cares. Our contribution raised their total to the $6,000 mark! We've sent over $1300 to Women for Women Int'l so far to help restore dignity and self sufficiency to women victims of war and ethnic cleansing in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Rwanda, and Nigeria. We hope to get closer to the $2300 we provided last year.

Costumed students from Greenwood Friends School made a colorful parade to kick off the party. They marched from their rehearsal in the Milk Parlour Ballroom across Rt. 42 bravely guarded by Renee Tucker and Bruce Rockwood and through the party goers in Anne & Oli's house and then gave a rousing performance of a Transylvanian draculae dance to a devilish tune played by Jeannie Masich on her violin accompanied by Oli on drum.

Dressed in Bulgarian folk costume, Jeannie led the Greenwood School dancers through two encores in other reaches of the house to great applause. When they finished, over sixty guests plunged back into an array of delicacies. Matt brought some exotic ones from a New York Philippine deli. Others were made by the patrons of the pre benefit cooking party. They complimented hors d'ourves contributed by many others.

Memorable items included "kabobcheta" (spicy Bulgarian meatballs), spanikopita and tyropita (spinach and feta cheese filo dough pastries) and Cindy's baklava. There were vegan delights like Tonya's bean dip, Cindy's vegetable chowder, and a delicious portabella & olive spread. Despite the quantity, virtually everything was devoured save for a half jar of purple yam jam from the Philippine deli and a 3rd of a tray of peanut butter & jelly sandwich wedges Renee made for the children. When Anne saw this she had a suggestion for next year: peanut butter and purple yam sandwiches. The Greenwood Friends students made a big donation from their class fund raiser. Another was received in memory of Kristin Gale. Others came from a variety of individuals who could not attend.

As night fell, the focus of the party shifted to the Milk Parlour Ballroom where party goers dying to dance punched up numbers on the CD juke box. Before long though, John Matulis began playing requests on his accordion. Brash, Jack, and Ula alternated in leading the line of dancers. When Oli took the lead for a pravo, he eventually gave it up to Nadia at the point the tune turned into a rechenitsa. Then it became a question to whether John could play faster then Nadia could dance. Who did is in question. What was clear was that, unlike Nadia, John was not lifting his knees waist high while twirling around. John tried to out last her, but she stayed with him until he played out.

After several cool down dances that got everyone back out on to the floor Oli got the other IIT people in the crowd to join Nadia for a special dance: Matt, Brash, & Ula. The only ones in our circle not present were Agapi and Boncho. He hopes to add them in on another occasion. It took 15 min. for them to agree on a dance. Interactivity was high among them as usual, but they whipped out of it together with a fast, snappy version of Itele. This amazed the audience as much as the rachenitsa.

The party extended well into the night and then the early morning back at the house...