We Gather Light To Scatter
Joint Upsilon Sigma Phi – Sigma Delta Phi SoCal Christmas Party 2008
We had 100 guests who attended the SoCal Christmas party. But it is not the number of guests that mattered but the fact that our guests had come from far away places and that the preparations and the “tear-down” after the party highlighted the enthusiastic cooperation between the brods and the sis. It felt like the 60s again when brods and sis worked together during our plays and musicals.
Ruby Talavera ’65 came from Toronto; Rosary Benitez ’65, Evelyn Aliling ’69 and Ida Vargas ‘73 from Manila; Nancy Mendoza ’69 from San Diego, Inez Sandejas ’70 from San Francisco.
At 10:00am that Saturday, Melvin Hidalgo ’55 and Evelyn Evans ’71 came to the Parkhurst clubhouse with Christmas decors to be used for the party. Carol dela Paz ’65 took Nikki and Randi with her to help out. Nancy Mendoza ’69 and Inez Sandejas ’70 came with tables and tablecloths to lend for the occasion. Sis Princess Ebron ’92 worked all morning in spite of being saddled with a cold. Brods Kooks Villaroman ’68, Celso Lapinid ’73, Chino Consunji ’83 and I moved the heavy furniture to make room for the rented dance floor, tables and chairs. The task of putting together the Christmas décor started in earnest. Ladders went up to hang the wreaths and ribbons. Centerpieces were assembled. Almost simultaneously, Irene Buenaflor ’73 came with the kitchen paraphernalia and the drinks. Her batchmate, Gigi Javier ’73 jumped in to help Irene. Around noontime, Dan Tinio ’66 came with the food for the “set-up crew”.
The evening started at 6pm. The food was great and the attention to detail in the food presentation was fantastic courtesy of Don Buenaflor ’69 & Irene ’73 and Gigi ‘73. Truly, the holiday spirit was in the air. We were entertained by emcees Carol dela Paz ’65 and Junie de Veyra ’69 and various talents: Faye Escuadro’s ’61 family, Melvin’s ’55 granddaughter and Marcy Sievert’s ’83 kids, Ida’s ’73 sons (Paco ’04 and Jao), Inez’s ’70 nephew and the Lomita dancers – a group of brods and sis who took up dancing before Alaala. Bim Javier ’65 personally thanked the SoCal members who were instrumental in making Alaala a success.
I had the honor of introducing the incoming SDPSCAA President Carol dela Paz ’65 and, of course, the new set of USPSoCal officers for 2009-2010. I used the phrase “for the frat” for the theme of my short talk mentioning the fact that when I asked these brods to become SoCal officers, I did not ask them if they wanted to be officers for the glory and the prestige of becoming an officer; but rather, I asked them if they were willing to serve.
There was dancing, story-telling, eating and simply being glad to see the brods and the sis who attended the affair. It was a time to relax, a time for joy….a time to be with family. Mel Panlasigue ’48 came to the party with wife, Dolly after hearing that his friend, Dr. Constante Firme was attending with wife and Sigma Deltan, Nena Firme ’48. It was Nena’s ’48 first time to attend an Upsilon-Sigma Delta event in the last 21 years; and the first time for her and husband, Constante, to dance after 10 years.
The highlight of the evening came when we had to “tear down” what we put up in the morning. Unfortunately, nobody caught the activity on film, as my kabatch, Bing Yuvienco ’67 lamented. Brods from SoCal and GLA, senior brods and young brods from the 70s, 80s and 90s, and Sigma Deltas, young and younger, worked as a team to fold the chairs and tables and take the dance floor apart; and carry these to Chino’s garage for pick up the following day. The ladders went up again, this time to take down the wreaths and ribbons. The heavy furniture was slowly put back in its place. We left the clubhouse as clean and orderly as we entered it that morning. But more importantly, we left the clubhouse happy with the feeling that, in spite of the rigors of time, the lyrics to the Upsilon song still held true, “the years cannot break us; but will only seal; weld us together like true and tempered steel.”
Thank you to all who attended and to the special brods and sis who made the affair a success. Until next time,
Joel N. Moral ‘67
President
USP SoCal Chapter
These pictures were taken by SoCal's professional photographer, Bobby Saddul '65.
Click on image to view
