Relevant Radio has hosted the Christ Brings Hope Benefit Banquet in a number of its markets, and for the last ten years, this joyful celebration has been held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The goal of the banquet is to celebrate the impact of Relevant Radio so far and look to the future in the advancement of its mission. This year’s event, which took place on Thursday, September 16th, marked one of the most successful benefits in Relevant Radio’s short but extensive history.
Planning for this event started way back in January, meaning it was in the works for around 9 months! None of it would have been possible without the planning committee headed up by volunteer co-chairs Mary Jo Feltl and Judy Schierman, supported by Karin Freihammer, Director of Development, and Celine Stroup, our Development Coordinator.
Held in the Grand Ballroom of the DoubleTree in Minneapolis, Relevant Radio welcomed over 700 attendees, from ages 2 to 92! Among the sea of people attending were Father Francis “Rocky” Hoffman, CEO of Relevant Radio, Patrick Madrid of The Patrick Madrid Show, Glen Lewerenz of Morning Air, and Paul Sadek of Daybreak. While Christ Brings Hope normally features a living recipient of the CBH award, the honoree this year was none other than St. Joseph. With so much to be thankful for during this Year of St Joseph, we couldn’t let Jesus’s foster father go unnoticed.
As one of the most successful CBH banquets, the night was chockful of highlights including the attendance of Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis, as well as 35 other priests, seminarians, and sisters. Additionally, Father Rocky surprised Father Richard Simon with a Caritas Dei Award (Charity of God Award) for all the wonderful, selfless work he has done over the years, even after retiring. Karin said that Father Simon, who is normally so eloquent and well-spoken, was speechless for the first time!
Also in attendance was little 2-year-old Logan Olson with his parents DJ and Erin. Last April, Logan was found face down in a pond, unresponsive. He was flown to Mayo Clinic and as they attempted to save his life, listeners across the country were notified of this intention and everybody prayed for him during the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Family Rosary Across America. Thanks be to God, Logan made a miraculous recovery and has had no lasting effects from his accident. It was truly special to have him at the benefit and a living example of the power of prayer. Logan was also featured in our 2021 Christ Brings Hope Video.
Last but certainly not least, the Minneapolis Banquet included a pledge to match $300,000 worth of tuition assistance for participating Catholic schools. As this was our first large event in 19 months, it was so special to be able to gather again as a Relevant Radio family and enjoy each other’s company. Father Rocky remarked afterward, “It could not have gone better! Last night simply could not have gone any better!”
