St. Rocco’s celebrates Italian heritage in Hulberton
Grounds could be sold by Diocese; Volunteers hope festival will continue for many more years
Photos by Tom Rivers
HULBERTON – Joe Morlino was among many volunteers cooking food at St. Rocco’s Italian Festival on Sunday in Hulberton. The event has been a big fundraiser for the St. Mark’s and St. Mary’s Catholic Parish.
Morlino has been volunteering at the festival for 20 years. He is cooking French fries, ravioli and mozzarella sticks.
The festival included a bocce tournament, arts and craft vendors, food, a beer tent, and other activities.
Sunday was the 49th St. Rocco’s Italian Festival.
The property has been listed to be sold by the Buffalo Diocese, but church members have advocated that the property be kept by the local church and continued to be used for the Italian Festival, which volunteers say is a community event, bringing many former Holley residents back for a homecoming.
Bishop Michel W. Fisher said the Diocese will announce its final recommendations this week or early next week on what churches and properties will be closed and sold in the Diocese.
Kevin Lynch, a former Holley mayor, eyes where to toss the ball in the bocce tournament. Lynch and three of his high school friends – Charlie Smith, Bernie Ruggeri and Paul Gifaldi – have been playing as a team for about 30 years. They were 1-1 in the early going of the tournament on Sunday.
The bocce tournament had 10 teams on Sunday, up from eight last year. Another tournament was held on Sunday at the courts at Hickory Ridge Golf Course. The goal is to be the closest to the small ball. The first team to 16 wins, and the team has to win by at least 2 points.
Dan Mawn prepares waffles to be deep fried and then covered in confectionary sugar. He has been volunteering at St. Rocco’s since 2009, when Holley ended its firemen’s carnival.
I hadn’t noticed the plaques on the festival grounds until Sunday. This monument sign is concealed in bushes.
One side facing the road declares: “In gratitude to the J. Walter Koessler Family (Greater Buffalo Press) for the gift of this land and building.”
The other side is in memory of the Rev. James D. Walker, who served St. Mary’s, St. Rocco’s and St. Mark’s.
