Johnstonians play major part in Cranston Greek Festival's success

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They worked long hours – 24, to be precise – in the kitchen helping prepare what people called “fantastic food” like roasted chicken, roasted lamb and grilled pork souvlaki.

They worked the same amount of time – standing mostly on their feet – deep drying and serving hundreds upon hundreds of delicious doughboys.

They worked at a variety of areas performing such important tasks as peeling onions and assisting in creating a classic custard offering, made with layers of buttered phyllo dough and glazed with a special honey.

They even danced – in glorious garb worn in yesteryear by their proud family members – to uphold a special tradition and their culture.

In short, Johnston residents played a major role in the success of last weekend’s 29th annual Cranston Greek Festival, which helped the Church of the Annunciation celebrate the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

“We’re almost exhausted. But this is fun and we do it for our church and to preserve our great Greek culture,” said Jim Rengigas, whose family had a hand in two important parts of the Greek Orthodox parish’s annual three-day fun, food and family fest.

Rengigas’ daughter Sofia, in fact, was disappointed she couldn’t put on her Greek costume and join her Odyssey Dance Troupe members who again delighted and dazzled as many as 500 people at once during five prolific performances.

However, she too played a huge part in the festival’s success, as she waited on the hundreds of people who came to her parent’s stand – a.k.a. Mrs. Gus’ Doughboys of Oakland Beach – to sample those caloric creations that began back in 1941.

Rengigas and his wife Ekaterini – along with Sofia and several cousins and nieces – manned the stand during the final day Sunday.

Elizabeth Degates, who did everything from peel onions to assist the “Baking Brigade” in making upwards of 40,000 pieces of Greek pastry, was at one end of the event, while her husband Demetri and son Ioanni lent their expertise to cooking souvlaki on a charcoal grill.

And as tradition would have it, each and every stand was sold out Sunday.

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