On the inside... The Whist Drive..... - Goan Association of New Jersey

Volume XIX - Number 3 SUMMER 2011
On the inside...
Association Corner 2
Praise and Prayer Retreat
New Executive Committee 3
Picnic Collage 4-5
Poem on July 9th Picnic 6
Young Goans 6
Goan Gourmet 7
People News 7
Down Memory Lane 8
Caring Corner 9
The Goan Connection is a publication
of the Goan Association of New
Jersey, Inc., a non-profit organization
established in 1991.
Inquiries, membership, subscription
requests, feedback and letters to the
Editor may be sent to:
The Goan Association of NJ, Inc.
P.O. Box 335
Cranbury, NJ 08512
Website: www.goanj.com
Email: committee@goanj.com
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The Whist Drive.....
Michael Alvares
GOAN ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY, INC.
Phileas Fogg engaged in it while going "Around the world in 80 days"
Edgar Allan Poe mentioned it in his tale "The murders in the Rue Morgue"
C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower lived off his whist earnings and
Scarlet O'Hara was a skilled player in "Scarlet", sequel to Gone With The
Wind.
Where can you have sixteen partners in a single night and not be driven to
exhaustion? And guzzle a beer while you're at it? Never fear, the GOANJ has
the answer - with replenishments midway through the escapade.
It's all about making tricks - no, not those kind! Sorry to burst your balloon,
but this is a family social event. Our annual Whist Drive is a night of Fall fun,
food, friendship and Fa-la-la!
Whist is several rounds of "Seven Hands", a card game played by four at a
table. The rules are simple. Just bring your wits with you. If you leave them
at home, no problem; we have Blind Whist! If you've never played it before
we will have a tutorial for beginners before play commences. So come and
bring adult family and friends. We dine on Indian fare, shoot the breeze and
sing songs old and new to the musical accompaniment from Lino, Wilma and
Ashley. Veteran Tony calls the games.
A Whist Drive followed by Housie - what more could a person want?
The Seventh Annual Whist Drive
is on Saturday, October 22, 2011
4p.m. to 11p.m.
Community Presbyterian Church
of Sand Hills, Kendall Park, NJ
Cost - $12 per person
Snacks, dinner and prizes
For more information call
Valerie Moniz (732 885 3330)
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2
Who’s Who
Elvis Proenca
Editor
Louella Menezes
Designer & Editor
Alan Lopez
Collage Designer
Executive Committee
Godfrey Gomes
President
Gladys Monteiro
Vice President
Allan D’Guerra
Treasurer
Valerie Moniz
Secretary
Cleta Lobo
Membership
Co-ordinator
Goan Association Of NJ, Inc.
Website: www.goanj.com
Email: committee@goanj.com
All rights reserved.
Association
Corner
Dear Members,
As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary
year, I would like to thank you all for
being a part of this Association and
especially for your support shown
throughout these years. This tremendous
occasion would not be possible without
the help from the committee members,
and most importantly, the hard work and
dedication from our past presidents
during these wonderful years, namely;
Valerie Moniz, Chris Nunes and the
outgoing Felix Menezes. I have had the
privilege of working and learning from
them for the past 15 years, as a member
in the Planning Committee and serving as
Vice President. The one shared quality
they all had was a passion and
commitment to serving our community.
As your new President, I promise to
continue in their footsteps, and I look
forward to leading our dedicated
Planning Committee in bringing you
exceptional social functions and raising
the level of awareness of our members
towards our charitable work for the
needy.
I must take this opportunity to thank our
past president, Felix Menezes, for serving
as president over the last six years. He,
together with his wife Vera, has devoted
endless time and energy to the current
success of our organization. I also want to
thank Gladys Monteiro and Allan
D’Guerra, our Vice-President and
Treasurer respectively, for their
continued dedication to the Executive
committee. New and pretty faces that will
also make up our Executive committee
are Cleta Lobo, as Membership
Coordinator, and Valerie Moniz, as
Secretary. Much appreciation also goes to
Olinda Gomes, our outgoing Secretary.
Rumor has it that she deliberately
resigned her position to become First
Lady!
We are sincerely grateful to Dianne
Nunes, who is stepping down as
Chairperson of
the Caring
C o m m i t t e e .
Under her
leadership and guidance, we were able to
help many causes in Goa. She hands over
her role to Gladys Monteiro, who has all
our good wishes for much success with
this position.
As part of our 20th anniversary
celebrations, this year’s Christmas gala
dance will be held at a larger and more
magnificent hall: the Royal Alberts Palace
in Fords, NJ. Music will be performed by
two accomplished bands, namely Prism,
our local group, and the Goa Amigos
from Canada. With great music,
wonderful food, and great prizes to be
won, this will be one gala dance not to be
missed.
Our next events coming soon are the
Whist Drive on October 22 at the
Presbyterian Church of Sand Hills in
Kendall Park and the Retreat on
November 6 at the Consolata Mission
Center in Somerset. Flyers for these
events will be emailed shortly.
Once again, I thank you for your
continued support and I look forward to
seeing old and new faces at our future
events.
Many blessings and good wishes, always.
Godfrey Gomes
President

PRAISE AND PRAYER RETREAT
Gladys Monteiro
Let's take some time off - away from talking, texting, typing and tweeting!
The scripture says, “Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me; and to him
that orders his way aright will I show the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23
Come join us for a day of praise and worship at the Consolata Mission Centre in
Somerset, New Jersey, on November 6, 2011. Let us dedicate a few hours to our Lord!
The Retreat is scheduled to begin at 12 noon with fellowship, songs of praise, food for
thought and spiritual exercises. Rev Fr. Braganza will give us a talk, which will be
followed by a Q&A session. He will also lead us in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist
at 5 pm. Those who wish to continue the fellowship may stay for dinner.
In our very busy lives, this is a great opportunity to rejuvenate our faith and our souls, a
chance to spend a few hours to clear our minds and hearts, and to bring about peace,
giving us the strength to accomplish all the wonders in our daily Christian life.
Congratulations to our New Executive Committee !
President : Godfrey Gomes
Vice President : Gladys Monteiro
Treasurer : Allan D’Guerra
Secretary : Valerie Moniz
Membership
Coordinator : Cleta Lobo
Godfrey Gomes was elected the new President of the Goan Association of New Jersey, Inc. at the
summer picnic held on July 9, 2011. Godfrey, a former Vice President, replaces Felix Menezes, who
stepped down after six years in Office. Felix, has dedicated many years to the GOANJ as Secretary,
Treasurer, VP and President. He plans on continuing to serve the community as a member of the
Planning Committee.Thanks to the outgoing committee for all their dedication and support, and wishing
the new Executive Committee all the success!
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YOUNG GOANS
by Allan D’Guerra
GOANJ Picnic - July 9th, 2011
by Adrian Lobo
The Goan Association picnic on July 9
Was a bright day filled with sunshine…
A special milestone for the GOANJ
To begin its 20th Anniversary in special way.
Fun and games for the young and old
Inclusive for both the wise and bold…
Tots racing with boundless energy
Teens, adults strategizing team synergy.
The Blue team earned everyone’s awe
With overall victory, after the tug-o-war…
And the married men could not be beat
By the bachelors, who suffered a 6-0 defeat.
The soft drinks, appetizers and tasty food,
Added to the existing exuberant mood….
And the lively popular music galore
Even had couples dancing on the floor.
With reverence at Mass we did laud
All the blessings bestowed by God…
Upon the association since it’s birth
From times of struggles to times of mirth.
Let’s not forget our committees were great
And selflessly over the years did donate…
Their time and effort to provide us the best
May they and their loved ones forever be blest.
The Young Goans cooled off during a sweltering summer day, at a wonderful pool party, held at a member’s
house in New Jersey. The event, on July 30, provided lots of fun and excitement as the group played various water games and
enjoyed volleyball too. Later, the group relaxed in the adjacent Jacuzzi,which proved soothing to tired muscles. The host family
provided the attendees with scrumptious snacks, masala dosa, and fajitas, and kept their thirst quenched with a variety of
drinks. The group was pleasantly surprised to see balloons of various shapes and sizes floating over the pool. It appeared that
there was a balloon festival nearby which proved to be visually entertaining to watch.
The good times and camaraderie shared during the pool party will always be remembered.
Young Goans is an organization comprised of Goan Adults 18 and over. The purpose of the organization is to provide
opportunities to meet and network with people sharing our heritage, in an informal and congenial atmosphere. To join Young
Goans, you may contact Giselle Lopez at glopez5678@yahoo.com or Allan D'Guerra at allandguerra@yahoo.com.
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People News
Baby News
Adele Pereira and
Steevan D'Souza are
proud to announce the
birth of their son, Jake
Nolan, on May 10,
2011.
CONGRATS TO OUR GRADS !
Melissa deSa, MD,
daughter of Carmen and
Victor deSa, completed
her Psychiatry residency
at Strong Memorial
Hospital, University of
Rochester Medical
Center. She has accepted
a faculty appointment at
Strong's Psychiatric
Emergency Room.
Baby News
Dr. Kezia and Aldrin
Alberto, together with
their sons, Ahren and
Aidan, are proud to
announce the birth of
Andrew Manual on
July 8, 2011.
Goan Gourmet
Karahi Chicken with
Vegetables
by Munita Fernandes
Serves 4
l lb chicken tenders or skinless,
boneless chicken breast
Chilli Paste or minced chilies to taste
Canned crushed tomatoes
1 tbspn each of finely chopped Ginger
and Garlic
Fresh vegetables (carrots, broccoli,
cauliflower, beans, etc)in bite-size
pieces
1 cup/250 ml of diced tomatoes
1 medium green or red pepper
Powdered dried fenugreek leaves
( kasuri methi ) (optional )
1. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and
set aside.
2. Heat oil over high heat in large skillet
or wok. Add onion and cook until
golden brown. Add ginger and garlic
and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt, chili
paste, crushed tomato and cook for 2
minutes. Add chicken and cook for 4
more minutes. Add vegetables and
cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is
firm and opaque, add yogurt and mix
well.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add fresh
tomatoes, bell pepper and dried
fenugreek leaves and mix well.
Cover and cook for 2 minutes until
peppers are just tender. Serve with
naan or white rice.
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REMINISCING DOWN MEMORY LANE – 20 glorious years
Valerie Moniz
Twenty years ago a few Goans met to discuss the hosting of a dance in New Jersey.
That germ of an idea led to the formation of the Goan Association of New Jersey, Inc.,
an organization dedicated to promoting Goan culture, sharing our common heritage and bonding
with other Goans in the region.
That first Christmas dance in 1991 was held at the VFW Hall in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The
organizing committee, Agnelo and Maria Gomes, Bambino and Wilma Martins, and yours truly,
provided the planning, logistical support, and financial backing needed to make this first event a
huge success. The event was promoted by word of mouth, and 80 people attended.
The success of that first dance propelled the committee to add other events to the calendar and the
GOANJ was born. Shortly thereafter, a newsletter called the “Goan Connection” was launched to
establish a link with members and to keep them abreast of GOANJ news and events. As we grew
socially and financially, the GOANJ decided to take on another important role – to address various
social concerns in Goa by helping out Goans in need. A Caring Committee was formed to identify
outreach opportunities and manage our charitable endeavors. A Prayer Chain group was started to
pray for the special intentions of the families and friends of GOANJ members. Clothing and food
drives were launched to help the Salvation Army in New Brunswick, and more recently, GOANJ
members have been serving as volunteers at the Mother Theresa Soup Kitchen in Newark.
In 2001, the GOANJ celebrated its 10th anniversary with a grand dance at the Ukranian Cultural
Center in Somerset. Subsequent Christmas dances have been held there as well. To mark our 20th
anniversary, the GOANJ Planning Committee has decided to take the celebrations up a notch. The
venue for the 20th Anniversary Gala Ball will be the posh and elegant Royal Alberts Palace in Fords,
NJ. On December 17, 2011, two great Goan bands will rock the hall, and attendees will be treated to
an excellent spread and premium drinks.
The GOANJ has been blessed with 20 years of growth, fun and friendships. We welcome you and
your friends to join in the celebrations to commemorate this wonderful event.
The Goan
Association of New
Jersey is now on
Facebook.
Come join us at
www.facebook.com/GOANJ
and become a fan by clicking
the “like” button.
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$5000 commitment to ASRO is fulfilled!
ASRO is a home in Tivim, Goa that houses and cares for children
who have lost one or both parents to the dreaded disease of
HIV/AIDs. In 2010, ASRO was in desperate need of $5000 to buy
beds for 50 children. The GOANJ stepped in to help with a pledge to
provide the $5000 amount. The Caring Committee of the GOANJ is
proud to report that we have now fulfilled this promise. In October
2011, Mr. Chris Nunes will hand over the final installment of $1018
to Fr. Valerian Vaz, director of Caritas Goa, who oversees operations
at ASRO. This final installment was made possible by the generous
collection of $783 at the annual Summer Picnic in July and by two
anonymous donations of $85 and $150. When you visit Goa, stop by
at ASRO and witness first-hand the difference that you and GOANJ
is making in the lives of Goans in need. Thank you for supporting
this and other charitable endeavors of the GOANJ.
Prayer Chain
Caring Corner:
OUTREACH PROGRAMS
FOR GOANJ MEMBERS
Our Prayer Chain stands ready to help you!
Please remember that there is a dedicated and faithful prayer group
within the GOANJ whose mission is to pray devotedly for petitions
that made by members and their families and friends. You may send
your prayer request by phone or email, and it will be promptly
transmitted to the prayer team, even anonymously if desired. Then
the Lord goes to work! Our dedicated group will pray for anyone and
at anytime there is a need for spiritual support. If you would like to
request prayerful support from this team, or if you would like to join
the team and pray for others, please contact Valerie Moniz at
valerie1moniz@optonline.net or Dianne Nunes at
diannenunes@verizon.net.
DJ Brian
Music for all occasions
DJ services, lighting,
total event management.
Live Band provided upon request
Tel# 732-317-2621
e-mail: dynamixdj@yahoo.com
Coming Up
OCTOBER
22 Whist Drive
NOVEMBER
06 Retreat
DECEMBER
11 Children’s Christmas Party
17 Christmas Gala
Event photos and other information
can be viewed online at:
www.goanj.com
Advertise Here!
Advertise to our membership of
nearly 500 for the whole year
(4 publications) at these low rates:
2 inch, 1 colm $20.00
1/3 page $125.00
1/2 page $150.00
Full page $250.00
Contact Felix Menezes 732-939-2916
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