Wow… what a weekend! Starting with a sunrise 5K overlooking Lake Travis on Nov. 7 and and ending Nov. 8 with the drawing of the winning raffle tickets, the Emmaus Fall Fest yielded something for everyone.

A happy, but tired little boy, won the electric JEEP, and Jerry and Barbara Helmueller are the proud owners of the new 2009 Red Chevy Silverado Truck.
About 85 runners and walkers kicked-off Fall Fest with the first annual Emmaus 5K Fun Run at Lakeway City Park, hosted by the High School youth group, “Outcry.” It was a cool, peaceful morning in the park and a great way to start the Fall Fest weekend. Fr. Samuel’s dog, Porthos, even participated.
Saturday evening and “Salsa at Sunset” brought out a fun-loving group of adults who jammed the stage where 14 participants shared their homemade salsas in the Great Emmaus Salsa Challenge. Three category winners were chosen by popular vote: Lidia Martines (green salsa), Chris Kaylakie (red salsa) and Gloria Rodriguez (specialty salsa). Winners received gift certificates from Faradays, Flores Mexican Restaurant and the Honey Baked Ham store, as well as engraved medals. Following a fiesta meal of homemade tacos and chili, parishioners showed their Salsa and Merengue moves on the dance floor, as professional dance instructors lead the way.
A windy Saturday night left one tent in a tree, but Emmaus volunteers were not fazed and jumped into action bright and early Sunday morning, preparing for the parish family and friends to have a day filled with fun.
Fr. Samuel celebrated a bilingual mass at 11 a.m. and as mass ended, parishioners quickly lined up for the famous Emmaus Bar-B-Q and Mexican dinners….the food just keeps getting better every year! The entertainment line-up included Big Don (back by popular demand), Greg from Rocking G Productions, and professional dancer Samantha Rodriguez. Whether people were playing games, shopping the creative booths, checking out the petting zoo, or riding the train, there were smiles everywhere.
The weather on Sunday was crème de la crème and created a perfect environment for this great community activity. The hard work of Emmaus volunteers created a wonderful weekend for everyone.