Catholic Community Services’ awards dinner scheduled for Oct. 23

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

SALT LAKE CITY — Monsignor Colin F. Bircumshaw, who recently retired as vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, and Abby Palmer Cox, Utah’s first lady, will be among those honored during this year’s Catholic Community Services of Utah Humanitarian Awards Dinner.

Other honorees will be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, St. Martin de Porres Parish and the St. Martha’s Baby Project Salt Lake City volunteers.

Msgr. Bircumshaw, who had many ministries in the diocese since he was ordained in 1975 until he retired, was named vicar general in 2011; he also was the bishop’s designated representative to CCS for the past 13 years.

His vast experience in the community, local parishes, with CCS and at the diocese prior to his appointment “made him the perfect designee, and he has led us well, providing gentle guidance and leadership to our executive director, board members and staff over the years,” said Maresha Bosgieter, CCS’s development director.

First Lady Abby Palmer Cox, who will receive the 2024 Humanitarian of the Year, focuses on serving others and the wellbeing of children, which fits right in with CCS’s programs, Bosgieter said.  

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will receive the 2024 Partner of the Year award.

“They have been a key partner in the work we do since the beginning,” Bosgieter said, adding that whenever there has been a need over the years, “whether it was funding for immigration services or equipment for the kitchen, they [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints] were the first ones to step up.”

The 2024 Parish of the Year award will go to St. Martin de Porres Parish. Like other Catholic parishes, they provide volunteers for the St. Vincent de Pail dining hall each month, but they also “are a huge force behind Gift of the Drummer, providing much-needed items such as new pants, underwear, socks and other warm winter items for our homeless friends.”

The St. Martha’s Baby Project Salt Lake City Volunteers will receive the 2024 Volunteers of the Year recognition. Since 1987 the program has given away more than 9,000 layettes to new mothers in need; earlier this year the project became part of CCS.

It is important to celebrate and honor the individuals and organizations that support and help the most vulnerable people in society because they offer an example to others “about the way we should act and think, as Christians and people in general,” Bosgieter said.

In today’s world, false rumors often are spread about those who are vulnerable, “and we can get caught up in that without taking time to look at those individuals as human beings,” Bosgieter said, inviting everyone to attend the Oct. 23 event.

“This dinner is always a wonderful opportunity for us to see our amazing supporters and friends, and also a wonderful opportunity for us to introduce new people to our programs and those we serve,” she said.

WHAT: 2024 Humanitarian Awards Dinner

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 23 Social hour at 6 p.m.; dinner and program follow

WHERE: Grand America Hotel, 555 Main St., Salt Lake City

COST: $175 p/p; several sponsorship levels available

For information, contact Maresha Bosgieter at mbosgieter@ccsutah.org. Individual tickets and sponsorships available through visit https://www.ccsutah.org/awards-dinner?view=form&form_id=16 until Oct. 15.