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This is the archive of the news page during the time the book was being researched and written. Originally this was intended to keep the researchers informed of the progress of the project as a whole, and to let sponsors see how we were progressing. Now it is a look back at the project history.
3/15/03 I am updating this site for the first time in nearly a year! The highlights of the past year have been: The book presentation was a great success. Later (soon) there will be a page with some pictures. The book was a great success, and completely sold out by sometime last autumn. A second printing has been ordered. New books will be available during the Holy Ghost Festa season this year. 3/27/02 Final preparations are underway for the big day April 14! Tony has been doing interviews for local and Portuguese media--today he had a long one broadcast on RTP network (satellite here). A lot of folks from the San Jose IES and PAC are donating the halls and putting in an extra effort to make sure we have a great day. The (invitation-only) luncheon will be downstairs at the IES hall, and the (public invited) reception at 2:30 PM will be upstairs in the Athletic Club hall. The books arrived on time (whew!) and a few have been spotted around the office. Without spoiling the party, it came out really well, exceeding our expectations. The pictures come to life. Lots of pictures. The heavy glossy paper and the new-book-smell...nice! A note to those picking up books on that day: We will be distributing 3.5 TONS of books that day, over 900 at 7.5 lb. each, maybe more depending on walk-up sales. There will be about 300 people picking up those books. The book will be released for distribution at the close of the event (3:30 PM apprx.). We will have a system with many people serving the books as practical, but we will still need some time to hand them all out, so please be prepared to bear with us and be patient. We are working hard preparing to make this phase as smooth as possible. We printed a list of 2002 festas on a flyer we distributed recently. Here is a link to the list. Down a few paragraphs are links to two festa-tracking web sites. The only disappontment we have so far is that Father Noia's schedule does not permit him to attend. 2/12/02 April 14th is the big day for the release of the book! Researchers and contributors are invited (invitiations have been sent) to a special event in San Jose. There will be a mass at Five Wounds, followed by a traditional luncheon (sopas). Later, at 2:30 PM the public will be invited to the presentation ceremonies. At the conclusion of the event, books will be distributed to sponsors, researchers, and purchasers with pre-paid orders who prefer not to wait for the mailing and don't mind waiting in line to pick up their book! Although everything has not been finalized, we know that after mass at Five Wounds we will go to the IES hall next to Five Wounds for sopas, followed by the presentation scheduled for upstairs at the Portuguese Athletic Club. There will be exhibits of crowns, banners, and perhaps other memorabilia. Father Noia is planning a historical recreation of Holy Ghost coronations from the past. Researchers, please plan to attend. This is the chance for all who contributed to get together and celebrate the publication of the book. Although we have had several meetings with many of us attending each instance, this will be the only time we're trying to pull all of the researchers in to one meeting -- especially those from far Northern and Southern California. Please make the extra effort to make it to San Jose, and please send in your RSVP by March 15th so we can plan for the correct number. Note: If you've ordered a book it will ship by mail beginning the week of the 15th of April. It will take awhile to process all the orders so allow a few weeks at least before you begin to wonder "where is the book". (The mailing time may be one week, and we will need some time to do all of the mailing.) If you have not done so, order your copy now. Believe it or not, the book is going to sell out, and you need to order yours now while they are still available.
Update 1/24/02 As of about Jan 15th, the book was declared complete and the file sent to the printer. Stay tuned for the announcement of the date and location for the festivities where the book will be presented to the public. (Hint: Plan for mid-April in San Jose) This is a big milestone and congratulations to the editors and Tony for pulling all the final details together. The proof pages look good and the chosen stitched binding and glossy paper are first-rate. A high quality product is sure to result. Be sure to order your copy now. This is a limited run and pre-orders have been strong, so act now to ensure you receive copy. Send in your order today, by printing the online form and mailing it in with your payment. A big thank you to all the sponsors who have helped give a lift and create some space in which to work.
Update 12/6/01: Taking longer than expected finishing up the final proof reading and editing, we're going to flex the schedule to allow a few more weeks to finish up. Things are going well. Final touches and checking all 490 pages can only go so fast. There is still time to see your sponsorship recognized in the book, now is the very last chance! Order your book now to ensure a copy will be reserved. Yes, you read that correctly, we're up to 490 pages now! Update 11/11/01: We're getting a good response from businesses and individuals sending contributions to become book sponsors. The sponsors page has been growing. If you want to get yourself or your business listed in the book as a sponsor there is still time! Send in a check to reserve your books and become a contributor to a very worthwhile project for the Portuguese community. A lot of people who contact us ask for a calendar of festivals. Although the research produced a table of data, much of which will appear in the book, we don't have time to produce and maintain a calendar of events. Fortunately, others have taken up this task, and we have become aware of two good sites worth visiting: http://www.FestasOnline.com, and California Portuguese Festas. The layout of the book is proceeding smoothly and the early December target still seems in reach. A lot of "last minute" things to do seem to be cropping up, but no big delays or difficulties. Scanning pictures finally maxed-out our hard drive! So we have another one on the way.
Update October 2001: A lot to report. Book editing and layout resumed in August and has made tremendous progress. The straggling, late reports not turned in were reassigned and completed (thanks to those who did multiple reports). More than 100 reports (120?) have been through revision and final editing, leaving perhaps 20 more to go. Layout of the book has begun and is approaching half-way complete. It is shaping up to be 450 pages. The selling price of the book was decided: $45.00, plus shipping. The schedule for production appears to be on track with completion of the layout by December 1, at which time the file will be sent to the printer. This will ensure the book will be ready for delivery sometime in early spring, late March is the target. Books can be reserved immediately by sending a check or money order, (Or by becoming a sponsor! It is not too late for your sponsorship to be recognized in print.) There are more details on the updated ordering page. Print out the online form and mail it in. Since reports are done, the researcher page has been updated to reflect the actual book contents, listing the communites by area with the researcher/author name listed.. Thank you to all who attended the late August coordination meeting at the Chamber. Also, we are starting to upload some pictures to the Gallery page, which will soon be several pages.....(the link on the welcome page still says reports, I know...fixed soon).
Update 7/20/01 Although many of the contributors are on vacations now, there are still a number of us toiling away, keeping the process going. If you are behind on turning in your report, now would be a really good time to send it in--since no one is in the office right now so no one will notice it's late! Then when everyone comes back it will just slide into the editing queue. Editing is going strong. Some contributors even took laptop computers with them on vacation! Also, a site worth mentioning which has a listing of Portuguese festas including Holy Ghost Festivals, is http://www.festasonline.com. Update 6/21/01 By now you have all received the letter from Tony by regular mail explaining the new publication schedule. For three main reasons the book publication has been rescheduled for March 2002: 1) slower than expected returns of reports, 2) editing is taking longer than expected, 3) the book can be printed and bound much more cost effectively offshore, which adds three months of shipping time. The upside to the delay is that the book will be published with all copies in hard cover--no soft cover edition. At 400 pages, a paper-bound book would too likely be unsatisfactory. Work is proceeding well on all fronts. Late reports need to be turned in. Update 6/2/01 The researcher page has been revised to reflect the present status. The cities being researched that came up with no festa have been deleted. Now the list contains only communities where we still believe a festa occurred (i.e. will have a part in the book). For these communities, we either have a report or expect one to be completed soon. The researchers names have been revised where necessary since some reports have been reassigned, and to include new names and exclude drop-outs. By the last count, 111 reports complete, 36 remaining. That is too many remaining, but 111 is a strong number and congratulations to those who got their part done! Update 5/21/01 We have been so busy we haven't been able to update as often as we would like. The compiling and editing has begun and is a daunting task, taking up all of the available time and resources. There are over 100 reports in!...but that means we still have 25+ reports still due. If you still a working on your report, time is up, the deadline has passed, please complete the reports and send them in right away--this is it! We are in sudden-death overtime! If your report is not turned in now the schedule will not be met, or, we will have an incomplete work. Please do it now. Progress is good in the editing and writing department and is well underway. In the artroom, the first prototype layouts are taking shape and looking good. It's exciting to see the book taking shape. Postcards pre-announcing the availablity of the book are being distributed at Holy Ghost Festivals (starting in Gilroy last weekend) and through Portuguese organizations. We have yet to update the researcher page... soon. John
UPDATE 4/27/01 Dear Friends: I hope everyone is doing well. (And working on the finishing touches for their respective Holy Ghost reports). It has been quite a while since I have been in contact with many of you. Upon the return from my trip to Portugal (which I consider to have been extremely successful from the project support standpoint and the great break I had with my wife for a few days), my wife became quite ill. For 2 weeks she was not able to stand by herself, drive, or "be functional" alone. Several doctors and several tests have given us a preliminary diagnosis of an extreme "vertigo" case. I am still not convinced that is the end of the story....In any case, that is the reason for my silence since my return, despite the fact that the research deadline was April 14. I would like to thank several of you for mailing your reports completed. It is going well, but we need to make a little effort to stay on schedule. So far we have over 70 reports completed. I have been talking to the prospective printers, and the lay-out people, and think that the project is still doable, if by May 15 - new and final deadline - the reports will all be in my possession. And I mean, complete reports. I am missing photos on some, additional information on others, some others are being sent for me to do the write up, etc. I can understand that some people received their information late and have not had the chance to complete theirs. Some of you have taken several cities to report on and that takes a while. But for some people, there is "no reasonable excuse" for them not to be completed. If it is impossible for some of you to be done by 5/15, please pick up the phone and let me know. I feel that if a lot of time and energy have been invested by the majority of the team members to cancel the project at this time. However, I will not be able to do it alone. I am trying my best, but I also need to make a decision by MAY 15. I feel that an immediate little effort from some of the researchers will make it happen, otherwise... it will be very difficult, and the date is important now, above all, because of commitments with sponsors that have to be met. I hope you do not take this message as a "complaint column", but as an alert notice and a call to immediate action. As I mentioned above, if you cannot do it, please let me know as soon as possible. I was just informed by someone last week, after having the guidelines on their possession for three months, that he could not do it. I had to find someone else who commited to do it but that person will only have three weeks. I feel that it is not fair. I would like to request all area coordinators to inform me by 4/30 (Monday evening) where their teams stand as far as the projected completion dates of the outstanding reports. We will start the lay-out process next week, and I would hate to be paying a lay-out professional if the project is to be aborted. Sorry for the added pressure or burden I may be put on some of you, but the weeks are going by fast, and the reports are starting to come in much too slow, in order to meet the deadlines now imposed by the lay-out people and the printer. I ask you for your understanding and courage to inform me if you just cannot do it. Of the team members who have finished their reports ( and they are outstanding!!!!), I ask if you would be available to take on an additional one or volunteer to write-up the ones that the information was sent to me, in the form of answers to the guideline pages in the information package, if you feel that you could help with just one more, please, please let me know!!!! LET'S ALL GIVE IT A LITTLE "PUSH"!!! Sincerely, Tony Goulart
UPDATE 4/18/01: Reports completed:
The deadline is upon us! Let's keep them coming in!!!! Thank you to all the people who have met the deadline!!!! and done excellent work! Tony
3/28/01 Update: Just one more report from this evening:
3/26 PM Hello everyone:
We have hit 40 reports completed! This weekend and today I received 5 reports from the Sacramento area prepared by Dolores Greenslate and the Portuguese Historical and Cultural Society of Sacramento, Joanne Camara completed Hayward, Lucilia daSilva is done with Alvarado Street (San Leandro), John Salvador has completed the SES report, Fatima Lopes and Joe Bettencourt have finished Santa Clara (Private). Things are really moving and it is very encouraging. Dolores and PHCS did a terrific job on five celebrations. Thank you to all of you that have completed their reports. Keep them coming. Although I will be going to Lisbon from March 29 through April 9th, my mail box will be checked daily. Do not wait for the 14th!, if you can !!! With a little effort, we can do it !!!!! Let's keep that April 14 deadline in mind !! Thank you very much for your great work and unbelievable level of support of the project. See you soon, Tony
3/26 The reports keep coming in!!!!
Thanks a lot Joanne and Dolores. What a job these people have done! Just wait to see all the work and research done by these delightful people. Looking for #40 ! Any takers ? We are on a roll !!!!!!!!! Thank you very much to all of you for your efforts. It is paying off !!!
More Reports Completed, 3/22/01 Update:
Extensive searches by Maria in Weaverville, Willows, and Redding confirmed the belief that festas never occurred in those localities.
Who will take the honors of # 32 ???
Message from Tony 3/17/01. As of Today, 24 reports have been completed and received for the following cities: Half Moon Bay, Hawkinsville, Fort Bragg, Mendocino, Mendocino, Auburn, Oakley, Santa Cruz, Concord, Copperopolis, Princeton/Colusa, Fort Jones, Point Reyes, Fairfield, Pescadero, Carmelo, Redlands, Norco/Corona, San Jacinto, Chino, Novato, Watsonville, Crescent City, Kerman, Crockett. Special thanks for their efforts and cooperation to the authors of the first 24: Joe Vargas, June Girdner, Marc Valadao, Emidio Fonseca, Louise Alves English, Robert Camacho, Al Azevedo, Dr. Decio Oliveira, Carol Ann Gregory, Donna Austin, Dr. Ramiro Dutra, Margarida da Silva, Ilidia da Silva, Joe Bettencourt, Anthony Machado, and Joe Porto Lionel and Bernadine Goulart have been scanning pictures for hours. I know they are about to turn in seven reports!!! from Milpitas, 4 in Fremont (Centerville, Niles, Mission San Jose, Warm Springs), Newark, Union City and San Lorenzo. They have been working extremely hard. Will the report you are working on be the 25th one to be filed? Keep up the good work !!! We can get it done ! Tony Goulart
3/4/01 Update from Tony Goulart: I would like to inform everyone that we just had our general meeting, in Tracy, yesterday. Twenty-four people were in attendance. It was quite productive and I believe helped clarify many questions regarding the project. I sincerely thank those who made the effort to attend, as well as those who notified that for justifiable reasons could not attend. In an attempt to assist all researchers the best possible way, a group of volunteers has completed the review of the Portuguese newspapers in existence at the J.A. Freitas Library (Newspapers reviewed from 1885-1930). Also our Holy Ghost celebrations search in the IDES Supreme Council's records (1896-1940). All researchers must have already received their copies, sent by mail. Please review the notes pertaining to your particular organization/area. I hope these added pieces of information will be helpful to many of you. The deadline for presentation of all materials was moved to APRIL 14, 2001. Please make an effort to meet it, otherwise your work will run a possible risk of not being included in the publication. Unless specific arrangements are made with the project coordinator, I would venture to say that late reports will not be included! I also ask you not only to answer the research guideline questions, expecting the coordinator to do all the articles. Please ask a relative or someone that could help with the composition. On another topic, www.lusaweb.com now has a link to this site. We're listed on their site in their Communities/Links page. 2/23/2001 A lot has happened in the past few weeks! We received and set up the Macintosh PC and scanner and began cataloguing the researchers' first reports. We received the first sponsorship funds to get started . And researchers have begun to send in reports. Things are really beginning to happen, so if you've been procrastinating, thinking about doing your report, DO IT NOW!, now is the time we expect to be receiving reports. Soon we will begin to post some excerpts from the contributions so everyone can get an overview of what is going on. Its time to get busy and complete the research phase! We have now had the time to expand the web site some, adding a sponsor, researcher, and skeleton ordering page. Hit the reload button on your browser if you've been here recently, to be sure you get the updated page. 2/8/2001 We're just getting the web site up and running. Please excuse the incompleteness for awhile until things settle down and get sorted out. For now you have to use your BACK button a lot to get around. Please come back often as we will be posting periodically during the process of collecting the researchers' reports through compiling the book. The research guidelines contain the timeline. Here are links to the research guidelines in English and Portuguese. The phase we are in now is the collection phase. Resaerchers are doing their work and sending in reports. We are in the process of setting up to scan the photos and compile the reports and stories. It is not too late to join the project if you have information about a Holy Ghost Festival in California which may be not already known or well documented. Look in the research guidelines for how to contact Tony Goulart, project coordinator. This web site is being set up to provide a means of sharing information among the contributors and the community, and to help stimulate contributions by inviting anyone to contact us if you have any information about Holy Ghost festivals that were celebrated in California, particularly in smaller communities and in the earlier part of the 20th century (even late 19th) where records are very scarce. Contact us at info@holyghostcalifornia.org. Web site complaints/suggestions to webmaster@holyghostcalifornia.org.
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