Fiesta helps bring former member back to church

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The 2014 Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, which kicked off Friday at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, marked a return home after a 20-year hiatus for one Clovis family.

It was that long ago when musician and active member of the Our Lady of Guadalupe church Toni Martinez died. Following her death, her son, Trinidad Martinez, stopped attending Mass.

link Staff photo: Vanessa Kahin

Erik Galvan shares his tamale dinner with his son, Thomas, 3, during the Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta kickoff dinner and talent show Friday evening in Clovis.

“It was hard to go back,” Martinez said. “Every day at church was a reminder of my mom.”

A request for the family — which includes members who inherited Toni’s gift of song — to attend the Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta dinner and talent show Friday ended Martinez’s hiatus.

“(They) needed some people to sing for the talent show, so I asked my kids if they wanted to do this, and they jumped all over it,” Martinez said.

During the talent show, Martinez’s son, Antonio, 15, sang John Legend’s “All of Me,” accompanying himself on the guitar. Martinez’s daughter Elizabeth, 17, sang ABBA’s “I Have a Dream.”

Another daughter, Linda, 19, sang Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.” The trio sang Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” in harmony as the talent show’s finale, a performance that got a standing ovation.

Trinidad Martinez said his children — a group that includes eldest daughter Francesca, 22 — have asked to be a part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe church choir.

Like his mother, Trinidad Martinez is a musician. A “one-man band” as Linda calls him, Trinidad sings and plays instruments.

“We’ll join the choir, bring in more instruments,” Trinidad Martinez said. “Beef it up.

“I feel this is my calling back,” he added. “It’s time.”

For yet another family at the event, the fiesta isn’t something to miss. Sisters Peggie Moreno, Melissa Equia and their mother Mary

Ann Sandoval estimated they’ve been coming to the event for more than 10 years.

Friday was Sandoval’s birthday. The family celebrated the special day, friends and fellowship over the kickoff dinner of tamales, beans, rice, salad and natillas.

“We make it a tradition to come out here,” Equia said.

“We see all of our old friends,” Sandoval said. “And, we make new ones, too.”

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta continues today and Sunday at the Our Lady of Guadalupe churchgrounds, 117 Davis St.

Schedule

Today

• Noon-8 p.m. — Games, food booths, garage sale, little bingo, arts and crafts and live music

• Noon.-3 p.m. — Youth variety show

Sunday

• 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. — Mass.

• 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. — Games, food booths, garage sales, little bingo, arts and crafts and live music

Musical lineup

Today

• Noon-1:30 p.m.: El Gallo

• 1:45 p.m.-3 p.m.: Rockaholix

• 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Country Jam

• 6 p.m.-8 p.m.: Real Tejano

Sunday

• 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Randy y Grupo Sol

• 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.: Un Poquito Mas

• 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: Slick Reynolds

• 3:45 p.m.-5:15 p.m.: Grupo Cielo