Queen Loriana's
message
I am so honored to be the Festa Queen this coming year.
I have been involved with the Festa and the Portuguese
community since I was two years old, and am so glad to
be a part of this tradition. For years, my mother has
been talking about throwing the Festa, and I never thought
it would happen. I know how much it meant to my grandmother,
Elsie Cerny, and how much my mom wanted to continue this
tradition in honor of her.
This is a dream come true for my family. Sure, the
Festa is a big responsibility, but I know that our
wonderful
and dedicated community will help everything go smoothly.
This wouldn’t be possible without all the help
of the workers and everyone who organizes the events,
and so I’d like to thank them for helping my
family out this year, and carrying on this wonderful
tradition
for our heritage.
I get the opportunity of a lifetime. So many Portuguese
girls dream of becoming the Queen and honoring the
Holy Spirit. God has been the biggest factor in my
life. There
have been many rough times in my life, and without
the guidance of Our Father, I would not have gotten
through
those times and become the person I am today. I want
to thank Him for all His sacrifices and honor Him
with the parade.
Sincerely yours,
Loriana Marie Madruga
Festa Queen 2006
|
Queen Alyssa's message
As any great writer knows, the opening sentence
is the most important: it is what grabs the reader’s
attention. Beginning such an important letter to you
has been extremely difficult for me because it is such
an honor and a great privilege to be the Queen of the
Festa. I find myself very grateful for this experience;
it is an honor to follow in the footsteps of so many
beautiful and committed past queens. I would like to
thank the past presidents for their commitment and
dedication to such an amazing tradition. I would also
like to thank the community and the workers who give
a great deal of time to the Portuguese Festa.
When I used to think of the Portuguese Festa, I would
sometimes get so caught up in the dresses and decorations
that I would forget what it was really about.
The Festa is a time to reflect on Queen St. Isabel and her selfless acts.
During this year, I hope to follow in the footsteps
of Queen St. Isabel, and be as
selfless and kind-hearted as she was.
Being a part of this tradition not only goes beyond
the dreams of myself and my parents – it goes back to the dreams of my grandparent, who never
got a chance to host the Festa. I have been a part of the Portuguese Festa
since I was a small child, and I looked forward to it every year. I know that
I will cherish and remember this year and the next for the rest of my life.
I just hope I can carry on this custom as well as many past presidents have
before my family. I would like to thank my parents for letting me partake in
such a wonderful tradition.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Ann Madruga
Festa 2006 Queen |
