Bill's Fun Zone & Carol Towne.
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St. Valentine:
Father Valentine lived in Ancient Rome during the Second or Third Century A.D. Claudius II was said to have outlawed marriages among the young men in The Empire, as he thought young single men would make better Roman Soldiers than married ones. Valentine, a Priest, was said to have performed ceremonies in private, and was eventually discovered and captured. He had also taken a stand for Christianity by refusing to worship Roman Idols. A legend states that as he awaited execution in prison, St. Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter who paid him regular visits. Just before he was martyred, he sent a love letter to her which was signed “From your Valentine.” He was later canonized by the Catholic Church. Valentine’s Feast Day is February 14th. All the people who have been canonized by the Catholic Church have Feast Days, but Valentine’s Feast Day and the Patron Saint of Ireland’s Feast Day are probably the two most commercialized ones.
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St. Patrick:
St. Patrick was born in Scotland in 387 A.D. He was kidnapped my marauders from Ireland at age 16. He later escaped his kidnappers, but later returned to Ireland. He received a Call from God to spread the Gospel throughout Ireland during its early history, which he did faithfully throughout the course of his life. The legends state that one of his teaching tools was the use of a Shamrock to explain the Doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Many people in Early Ireland were converted to Christianity, as a result of his life long missionary efforts. St. Patrick died an old man in 493 A.D. at the age of 106. In the centuries that followed, after he was canonized, he became known as, “The Patron Saint of Ireland.”
FABLE OF THE CEREMONIAL CAKE.
Area Contest Runner-up.
NARRATOR: Once upon a time in the year 1515, Queen Elizabeth I, of England, sent an exploration ship out to the South Seas Area, just to see what the heck is out there. But, when the ship arrived in the South Seas Area, a hurricane kicked up, tossing the ship back and forth, to and fro, obliderating it into millions of pieces of kindling. And believe it or not, the only survivor of the shipwreck was Captain Samuel C. Pleasureton, who was washed ashore on an uncharted South Seas Island--unknown to the rest of the world, and known only to the inhabitants of the island as "The Island of Calitingi". Fellow Toastmasters, honored guests, and dignataries; this is where our story begins.
When Captain Pleasureton's ship had failed to return to England, Queen Elizabeth sent another ship out in search of Captain Pleasureton's ship. Meanwhile, back on the Island of Calitingi, Captain Pleasureton spent several months becoming acquainted with the natives of the island, who by the way, spoke very primative English. He especially became acquainted with one of the beautiful maidens of the island whose name was Geneva Icing. One thing led to another between the Captain and Geneva Icing, and soon, they fell in love. This did not go unnoticed by the Chief of the Island, and one night the chief approached the good Captain, and said:
CHIEF: "Do you wish to partakem of Ceremonial Cake with Geneva Icing, Captain Pleasureton?"
CAPTAIN: "What's that Chief?"
CHIEF: " 'Tis ritual handed down to inhabitants of Calitingi, many moons ago. You partakem of cake, she partakem of cake, and in doing so, you both takem wedding vows 'til death do you part. But, know this Captain Pleasureton! Divorce illegal on Island of Calitingi. And those caught, trying to leavem spouse, or caught, trying to leavem island without spouse, we burnem at stake!"
NARRATOR: Now as you can see, laws concerning marriage and responsibility were very strict on the Island of Calitingi, which was something Geneva Icing was very accustomed to, being she had lived there her whole life. But for the good Captain, that was a different story. One night, as the Captain and Geneva stood on a hillside, overlooking the beach, Geneva looked at the Captain, and asked:
GENEVA: "Will you partakem of Ceremonial Cake with me?"
NARRATOR: And the captain replied.....
CAPTAIN: "Well gee, my dearest darling Geneva, let us first live together for a while. Then if things work out, we will partake, of your ceremonialcake."
GENEVA: "Humpf!" [slaps him]
NARRATOR: Now you see, it was like this. Not only was cohabitation also illegal on the Island of Claiming, it was the ultimate insult of ultimate insults to even ask a woman this. You see, the Ceremonial Cake was the symbol of the three vital ingredients, which make up a wholesome life long relationship between a man and a woman: Romance, Responsibility, and Commitment. And since cohabitation only focuses on one of the three elements, it blows away everything that the CeremonialCake stood for, which is something the Islanders held very sacred.
And the thrust of Geneva Icing's slap knocked the good Captain down the hillside, overlooking the beach, in a sitting position.
CAPTAIN: "Ooh-ooh-ow-ee-ow-ow! Ooh-ooh-ow-ee-ow-ow!"
NARRATOR: And he slid out onto the beach......
CAPTAIN: "AHHHAHHAH!"
NARRATOR: .....right through a cactus bed. And it wasn't long before Geneva Icing found herself lost in the arms of one of the handsome yopung native men of the Island. The Captain on the other hand spent the next several months camped out on the beach, sulking over his loss.
And one day, even though he had his distress torches lit, he was so down about Geneva Icing, he didn't happen to notice that there was a rescue ship out in the water, about 200 yards from him--until he heard a voice calling from it.
DRAKE: "Ahoy! Captain Sam Pleasureton! Is that you? Are you ready to be rescued?"
CAPTAIN: "No, I'm just waving these torches on the beach to chase the sand crabs to the other side of the island. Of course I want to be rescued! Who are you?"
DRAKE: "It's your old friend and Colleague, Francis Drake! We went to the Ding Dong Day Naval Academy together. Her Majesty sent me to rescue you!"
CAPTAIN: [sobbing] "Frank ol' boy, it's really you! Bring the boat in here and get me off this Island!"
DRAKE: "In exchange for going out on a lark, looking for you, YOU OLD
SALT, her majesty knighted me a few months ago. It's Sir Frank Ol' Boy if you please!"
CAPTAIN: "Whatever, just bring the dingy in here, and get me off this floating basket of fruit!"
NARRATOR: And so our story concludes, as Captain Samuel C. Pleasureton sets sail for England aboard Sir Francis Drakes famous exploration ship. And the Captain looks at Drake and says:
CAPTAIN: "How about that, Frank Ol', --I mean Sir Frank Ol' boy! She jilted me for that native landlubber just because I wouldn't partake of her ceremonial cake right away. I just wanted to live with her for a while, and see how things went first."
NARRATOR: But Drake looked at the Captain, and said:
DRAKE: "Well that's tough, Sam my boy! But, you know what they say. If a man wants a healthy, wholesome relationship with a woman, HE CAN'T HAVE HIS ICING WITHOUT THE CAKE!
NARRATOR: And that's the morale of today's fable.