THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Supreme President & State Youth President
January 17, 2009


Friday, January 9th, 2009, members of Council #43, Chino arrived in Bakersfield, Ca.
We (the girls) stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn Express (our momma and Ava Lucy Parriera, and of course sister Vanessa). The men parked their R.V. at the Dias Ranch behind a hay truck; our Papa said he fell asleep dreaming of his childhood on the dairy.

Our Papa (State Youth Advisor, Zach Batista) stayed overnight Friday and Saturday with Past State Youth President Zachary Batista Jr. and our youngest brother Christopher. It was their first R.V. camping experience together! Papa starting early with Gary and the crew (Caron and company were working days before chopping onions) and the work, excitement and fun continued through Sunday.

Thanks to Gary, Caron and their family for inviting everyone and offering their ranch (their lemons and grapefruit are amazing). I’m thinking we can turn the Matanca into an educational television series with Joe I. Silva and Igidio Almeida as instructors and Joe Pimentel as the commentator/comedian.

It was a pleasure and honor to have a few of our uncles and of course our Tia attend; our Tio Gerard Batista from Chino and a member of Luso-America Board of Directors; our Tio Anton Batista and Tia Cecilia of the I.D.E.S. Council in Chino; they enjoyed it so much they have signed on to help with upcoming fundraisers (watch your mail for invitations).

Deep and heartfelt thanks to all of the women who worked and prepared to make it such a special event; the food was delicious, and Iria Pimentel was showcasing how to be a Portuguese card shark!

It was wonderful to see Amanda Silva, Past State Youth President and her fiancée.

Our Queen Contest also kicked off with Britney Aceves in attendance from Lemoore/Hanford (and her family)!

Thank you, thank you to Connie Corvelo for all of her support and dedicated enthusiasm to the future of our beloved society.

Today, instead of being bicep deep in morcella, we have split our respective duties between the Cabrillo Convention in Fresno, Ca. and our brother Zachary’s Going-Away-to-Boot-Camp-Party-Weekend at our Ava Parriera’s in Chino; an all day open house on Sunday, as you all know, requires a lot of kitchen preparation on Saturday –
Everyone is most cordially invited!

We both would like to wish our entire U.P.E.C. family a very Happy New Year!
God Bless You and the U.P.E.C.!

Mary Batista – State Youth President
Natalie Batista – Supreme President

BELIEVE

BELIEVE

(December 13, 2008)



If we lack belief, we will in turn not be believed – a simple yet profound statement. Welcome to the holiday season which in our Portuguese Catholic tradition is full of faith – the believing in things that we can not readily see. Christmas celebrates a miracle birth – and therefore, we receive the many gifts of that miracle – one being the opportunity to have a new beginning – thankful and mindful of the past, but hopeful and excited to achieve success in a future laden with opportunities and possibilities.

Last we spoke (or rather, I typed and you read), I was visiting our friends at the SES Convention in Newark, Ca. Since November, I have officially visited the great people of Selma (and Rudolph’s nose would have come in quite handy to navigate through the seasonal fog); shared ideas and customs with young leaders from around the world who brought their Azores meeting to California – warmly received in the historic UPEC Home Office; I just made it to Turlock’s glorious gathering in Hilmar (I put the Portuguese On-Star/GPS system on my Christmas list); and here we are once again to celebrate each other’s gifts and talents at our Board Meeting and Christmas Luncheon. The State Youth are holding their first meeting today right here in our one of a kind library – the Next Generation’s Vice President, Dr. Monique Vallance will report to us – 2009 is in sight and we must believe with all our hearts that what we are doing is important – VITAL not just to our own families, but to our culture as Portuguese-Americans and to the world as a whole.

VITA ACTIVA – the active life; how are we living and actively promoting the UPEC each day in our lives? I know that from my UPEC Supreme President travels that began August 2008 in Modesto, Ca., I can say that I believe even more than I did before, that UPEC is worth every ounce of effort that we can put forth; worth every moment of forgiveness we need to give or accept from ourselves or others who have hurt us so that we can move positively forward – forward TOGETHER. An organization, a leader, a Board, a Queen, a President or ruler, even a CEO; all of these are nothing without PEOPLE. Believe in whom we are; believe in what we do and people will follow – but the belief has to be REAL; FORGIVENESS has to be real. Christmas presents to us the opportunity to do all of these things.

Speeches are just speeches if not accompanied by action – and the theme of the New Year is Lights, Cameras, and ACTION! With both our words and our deeds we will not be undone, we will be NEW! August – December has left me with an extremely positive feeling – an inner fire. Being present for of the Councils thus far and all of the members young and old, has convinced me of the durability of our organization, and the power of love. Only LOVE has the power to forgive; only love has the power to RESPECT and only love has the power to take the UPEC and the world to its next level of achievement; and that is the capability to positively control our relationships and the legacy that we want to leave to our children, grand-children and great-grandchildren.

Boas Festas! Feliz Natal! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Visits! Visits! Visits!

Queen Contest

QUEEN CONTEST
U.P.E.C. convention 2008-2009
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA


Apply now!


Name: __________________________________________________

AGE: ____________________________________________________

SCHOOL: _______________________________________________

Parents/Guardian: ______________________________

U.P.E.C. council: ___________________________________



Kickoff January 2009

Call/email now!

Contest Chairwoman: Mrs. Connie Corvelo

(209) 358-1668

Out2lunch_1@sbcglobal.net

Flyers!!!

A Portuguese
mantanca in Bakersfield
Mantanca do Porco
Mantança, is Portuguese for “the killing” a traditional festival that finds a pig, lovingly fattened through the year, slaughtered and fed to everyone in attendance.

HOSTED BY: U.P.E.C. SUPREME PRESIDENT NATALIE BATISTA

WHEN: January 9, 10, 11, 2009

WHERE: 10044 VAN HORN ROAD
BAKERSFIELD, CA. 93313
(Map on reverse side)

GARY DIAS: #661-397-6906 or #661-201-2543
RV’s WELCOME! COME UP FRIDAY AND STAY OVER!

NO ADMISSION CHARGE! FREE FOOD!

Palm Springs Convention ads & opportunity drawing tickets for sale!
Raffle items, auction, card games, entertainment, and YOU!!

SEE YOU IN BAKERSFIELD!

Rooms Blocked Especially for the U.P.E.C. at:



Holiday Inn Express

4400 Hughes Ln.

Bakersfield, Ca. 93304

#661-833-3000

$74.00 (+ tax)

Must Reserve By: January, 2, 2009

A PORTUGUESE MANTANCA IN BAKERSFIELD!!

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