2009-2010 Vocation Sponsor Award from Supreme.

The first Taste of Faith dinner held in Little Rock on August 7 raised $130,000 for seminarian education.  At the state convention in April, councils and assemblies were asked by then State Deputy Jim Neff to raise money for the seminarian fund, with the presentation of the money to be made at the Taste of Faith dinner, which was still in its planning stages at the time of the convention.

Council 10208 held an extra Sunday Parishioner Breakfast to raise money and sent a mailing to all members asking for their support.   The combined result was $3500 being sent by the Council to the state KC office, and Assembly 2316 sent $500.  At the Taste of Faith dinner, Jim Neff presented a $20,000 check  from the Arkansas knights, which was included as part of the $130,000 total. 

The final amount contributed by the Arkansas councis and assemblies was $16,307, and the State Council added $5,000 for a $21,307 total.  Very noteworthy is the fact that the local council and the assembly contributed $4,000 or 24.5% of the $16,307 raised.    In a recent communicaton to Past Grand Knight John Bodensteiner, Past State Deputy Neff stated:

"Please advise the brothers at 10208 that theirs was by far the largest contribution, even for those of us that had combined council/assembly contributions.  Also, please advise them that what they did not read in the Arkansas Catholic was an extremely warm and complimentary litany from Bishop Taylor of how well the Knights have supported our seminarians with both the seminarian education check and the RSVP.  I am glad to hear that you are going to sponsor four seminarians, as we will definitely need it.  God has answered our prayers as Monsignor Friend has a total of 36 seminarians either in seminary, getting ready to start seminary, or in the Discernment House.  State Deputy Mike Ketter is going to commit to Bishop Taylor that the Knights will again sponsor each seminarian at least twice this year.  Finally, please extend my warmest regards to each member of Council 10208 (in my opinion one of two premier councils in the state) and Assembly 2316."

According to an August 14 article in the Arkansas Catholic,  there were 320 people in attendance at the dinner.  Monsignor John O'Donnell was Master of Ceremonies.  Monsignor Friend, Bishop Taylor, and Seminarian Andrew Hart spoke (Andrew is Council 10208's RSVP seminarian studying in Rome).  Entertainment was provided by a band consisting of six seminarians.

Attending the dinner from Sacred Heart of Jesus were the following knights and spouses:  Roger and Marcia Bresnahan, Don and Anne Dierks, Marshall and Evelyn Garrison, Bob and Mary Anne Honzik, Gerald and Ann Krawczynski, and Dave and Kathleen Witchger.