Knights’ dinner, bobblehead doll auction benefit vocation efforts

Bishop W. Shawn McKnight smiled and nodded in approval.

So did the gift he had just been handed.

Members of Columbia’s three Knights of Columbus councils had auctioned off custom-made bobblehead dolls depicting members of the local clergy, during their third annual Vocations Appreciation Dinner in May.

The Knights presented one of the dolls, made in the bishop’s image and likeness, to him on Sept. 12, along with a $1,200 check from the dinner and auction proceeds.

Checks also went to two diocesan seminarians the Columbia Knights are helping through formation.

The other bobblehead dolls in the auction depicted Father Christopher Cordes, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish; Father Francis Doyle, pastor of Sacred Heart parish; and Dominican Father Richard Litzau, pastor of St. Thomas More Newman Center parish.

A company in California custom-made each of the amenable statuettes, based on portraits sent by the dinner’s organizers.

The Knights got permission from all four clerics before having the dolls made.

The bishop laughed out loud when he saw his.

“We thought this was something unique, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to present it to you,” said Council 1529 Grand Knight Tim Vargesko.

Council 1529 (Our Lady of Lourdes), 7231 (St. Thomas More Newman Center) and 14414 (Sacred Heart) work together to organize the Vocations Appreciation Dinner each year.

“It was a great success!” said Mr. Vargesko.

Pictures of the other bobbleheads can be seen online at:

http://uknight.org/CouncilSite/photo-gallery.asp?ID=11341&CNO=1529