Mangalorean Catholic Association of Washington Celebrates “MCA Christmas Party & Masquerade Ball 202

By V James Dante, Washington DC
Bellevision Media Network

Washington DC: The Mangalorean Catholic Association of Washington DC/Virginia and Maryland celebrated their Christmas event on Saturday, 7th December 2024 to a packed crowd at the Mid County Community Recreation Center, Maryland. Approximately 150 plus attendees relished the opportunity to meet in-person with friends and families.

 

The event was titled as ‘Christmas Party and Masquerade ball 2024’ was an instant hit and was a night to remember! It became an absolute blast, filled with laughter, dazzling costumes, and festive cheer, making the evening unforgettable for everyone who joined us.  It was the enthusiasm, warmth, and presence of each and every guest that made our gathering truly special.

 

The mother-daughter duo of Carol Rodrigues and Alisha Rodrigues carried out the programs as the Emcees by engaging the crowd to running the program so smoothly, making it fun and lively. Then the Emcees invited everyone to gather for a group picture, capturing the festive spirit of the evening. Following this, the committee members and their spouses officially opened the Christmas party with the Masquerade Ball. Soon after, other couples joined in, filling the dance floor with joy and celebration.

 

The Santa game was a highlight, he brought in much joy and excitement to the event by making the children joyous. This was the joyous moment and created wonderful memories for all families gathered at the venue. Many children helped out actively in the event, Alina DSouza as Elf helping Santa, and the young boys, Joshua and Jayden Noronha leading the carol singing with the guitar.

 

The highlight of the event was the Masquerade Ball. The judges secretly selected the best-dressed participants in four categories: Male, Female, Boy, and Girl. Best Dressed Male: Jerome Fison, Best Dressed Female: Louise Brown, Best Dressed Girl: Rachel Dsouza, Best Dressed Boy: Noah D’Cunha. 

 

The ladies put up an excellent dance performance and shared their talent and made the event unforgettable.

The President, Julia Dante, gave thanks to many individuals who helped as donors and provided other services. Special thanks were offered to Donors - Michael Menezes – Dream Vacations; Vivin and Maryl Kuriakose – General Manager at Gaithersburg Marriott, Dr. Devdas Shetty and Sandya Shetty; the Dante family; Lovee and Jerome Faison, Avie Fernandes, Clint Almeida, and our anonymous donors. 

 

Raffle prizes – Many individuals sponsored raffle prizes for the event. Their generosity has not only brought excitement and joy to our participants but also significantly contributed to the success of MCA.

 

Appetizers - Efegia Mendes, for preparing the wonderful and delicious appetizers. 

 

Traditional food - Irene D’Cunha, for preparing the traditional pork curry which added a special and authentic touch to our meal.

 

Caterer - A big thank you to Jewel of India for catering the tasty and delicious food for the event.

 

DJ - MCA Vice- President cum DJ Clement Noronha’s great selection of music added so much fun to the event, and we truly appreciate your contribution!

 

Volunteers – The people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, Prema DSouza for the food set up and cleanup, Saritha D’Souza, Meryl Kuriakose, Harry D’Souza, Neil and Neviel D’Cunha for their incredible support. The attendees and their families worked tirelessly to put together this splendid event. Their dedication and efforts have made this Christmas party a truly magical experience for all of us. 

 

Merlyn Mathias, announced the new committee for the year 2025-2026 on behalf of the Election Committee, that consisted of three people, Juliet Vas, Julia Dante and herself.

 

The new committee members are:

Executive Committee

President - Flavy Rebello

Vice President - Neviel D’Cunha

Secretary - Merlyn Mathias

Treasurer - Genevie Albuquerque

Jt. Treasurer - Stephanie Albuquerque

IT Admin - Daryl Fernandes

 

General Committee 

 

Harry Dsouza, Anitha Furtado, Jessy Dsouza, Prema Dsouza, Clint Almeida, Clement Noronha, and Julia Dante.

 

Neviel D’Cunha delivered a brief speech on behalf of the new committee.

 

The President, Julia Dante, thanked the Advisory Committee, for their guidance and support. Esmie Wright and James Dante, jointly expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the current committee on behalf of the Advisory Committee (Juliet Vas was absent).. Following this, they initiated the presentation of the  plaque to honor and appreciate the work done by President Julia Dante, who, in turn, awarded the plaques to each committee member and recognized the contributions.

 

There were many spot prizes and raffle prizes conducted throughout the event. It was a proof that the Masquerade theme was very well received and executed at the Christmas event.

 

As they say, pictures say a thousand words. So a few pictures of the celebration have been included in this article.