Rosemary Champagne honored by Knights of Columbus for years of service to Southington Relay for Life

Rosemary & Jim Champagne Honored at Benefit
for Southington Relay for Life

May 18, 2012

The notable local works of charity of the Southington Knights of Columbus was at the top of its game last Friday in bringing 125 people together for a fabulous dinner-dance at the Elks Lodge honoring the years of dedicated service to Southington Relay for Life of Rosemary and Jim Champagne. 

With a delightful buffet by Carmela Marie and the lively dancing to the music of “Nick & Nancy, After All”, a frolicsome crowd dined, rocked and rollicke through an evening that reached an emotional peak with the moving tributes to the courage and strength of Rosemary Champagne who provided those in attendance an inspiring sense of her spirit of faith, hope and confidence through twenty-eight years as a survivor of Cancer.  

Event chairman, Bill Shatas, spoke of Champagne’s strength and character as she turned her illness into a road to healing mentoring, bringing hope to others as well as working through her own personal survival.  Shatas pointed out Champagne’s service to our local Relay for Life since 1998 and her leadership for almost a decade, while also authoring a book: “My Detour On Life’s Highway”.  

Jim Champagne, spoke of the non-stop energy, courage and fortitude of his wife in her personal journey of more than a quarter century including her shared journey with countless numbers of other cancer survivors. He also pointed out that over one million dollars had been raised by Southington Relay for Life since its inception.

L to R. Bill Shatas, Benefit Chairman and
George Jorgensen of K of C present
flowers and large donation to Relay for Life
in honor of Rosemary & Jim Champagne 

Past Grand Knight of Isabella Council 15 and Faithful Navigator of Fourth Degree Assembly 0122, George Jorgensen, whose wife Linda was diagnosed with a rare cancer last fall, also spoke briefly as he presented a sizeable donation to Relay for Life in Champagne’s honor. The benefit raised over $3,000 and we’re still counting”, Shatas said.  He also made a surprising revelation for almost everyone when he all who were Cancer survivors to stand and then all those who had a family member who was a survivor or victim of cancer to join them in standing.   The overwhelming majority of the people in the room standing was astounding!

Grand Knight Dennis Kelly presents bouquets
to Mary DeCroce, 2011 Relay for Life
chair, Rosemary Champagne and
2012 Chairperson, Joyce McAloon

Grand Dennis J. Kelly, said: “The Knights of Columbus supports a long list of local charities and we are honored to include our support of Relay for Life.”

What became clear to those who were not aware was how much one person of singular purpose can do to inspire a town and the vital role she played in leading a town in raising over a million dollars for the American Cancer Society since the start of Relay for Life in Southington.

Photography by Deborah Mikan