Bob and Mary Anne Honzik

Bob and Mary Anne were instrumental in the great success we had at the House of Formation Dinner.  They provided leadership in all aspects of the event and are the two people most responsible for the wonderful resulting contribution.

Bob became a Knight as a result of his efforts to help a young Honduran Indian girl named Karen who was born without a left arm and leg.  Bob and Mary Anne started and led the “walking with Karen” fund, which resulted in Karen receiving prostheses from the Shrine Hospital in Shreveport. The fund also provided herwith a Catholic education.  Karen is now teaching school in the mountain village of San Bartolo in Honduras.

In the Village, Bob has served on the POA Village Promotions Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, Stewardship for the Parish, the A & E Building Committee.  A year ago, Bob accepted an appointment by Bishop Taylor as a Director on the Board of the Diocesan Seminarian Fund.  And Bob is, of course, our Deputy Grand Knight.

Mary Anne has worked with the Chamber of Commerce, was President of the Village Community Foundation, has been on the Pastoral Committee; a Server and Eucharistic Minister, and also served on the A & E Building Committee.   She is on a decorating committee for special holidays in the parish and is an Associate Member of the Ladies of Sacred Heart and a member of the Hot Springs Village Garden Club. 

In September, she will be added to our roster of parishioners helping with Bingo at Good Sam’s.

Geri and Dub Green receiving award from Deputy Grand Knight Bob Honzik

As residents of Texas, Dub & Geri were involved with the Knights of Columbus council in Waxahachie. So, arriving in Hot Springs Village and becoming involved with the Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus council was a natural progression.  

Prior to their involvement in the Arkansas State Special Olympics, the only beads used at Olympic Town were the un-painted ones.  In 1994 they saw a notice in the church bulletin asking for beads, so Dub & Geri cut up the beaded seat cushion they brought with them from Texas.  Geri decided to paint the 1000 beads, one at a time, propping them on a hole punch.  At the Special Olympics Geri was approached by Roger Barker who asked her to paint more beads for 1995.  "Sure”, said Geri, “I'll paint whatever beads you have left."  Roger handed her an apple crate-size box of 5000 beads.  Geri painted those for 1995.  The following year, Ramona Fuller offered to help and they painted 10,000 beads (which is now the amount they paint each year).  Dub decided to join her at the 1996 Olympics and they have not missed a year since then.  In 2011, Dub was named Knights of Columbus State Chairman of the Arkansas Special Olympics to lead the volunteers. 

Dub & Geri are involved with the VFW efforts working with military veterans.  They are on the committee which supplies personal hygiene products, clothing, pillows and laundry supplies for the homeless vets at St. Francis House.  Geri assists with the annual fingerprinting of kindergarten students at Jessieville and Mountain Pine.They are also on the regular rotation for food delivery to Jackson House and they participate in the annual Tootsie Roll Drive.

 

The Family of the Month for May is John and Carolyn Bodensteiner. It is amazing just how involved both of them are involved in the Knights, Church and community. With regards to the Church, John is a Lector, Server and Eucharistic Minister, Director of the Disaster Response Team, chair or co-chair of the last 3 Treasure Sales, is a member of the Social Justice and Community Outreach Commission, Helping Hands, and Men’s Club. 

John, of course is very involved with the Knights having served as Chancellor, Grand Knight, and 3 years of being a Trustee. He is currently Communications Director, Web Site Administrator, coordinator of the “Keep Christ in Christmas” billboard project and Coats for Kids. He has been co-chair of CPID for the past two years and attends retreats at Montserrat. He coordinates the Food for Seniors program sponsored by Rice Depot for Hot Springs residents John is a 4^th degree member and is Communications Director and chair of the on-site meals for homeless vets at St Francis House. 

John is also very involved with the community. He helps with the Camp for the Blind, Habitat for Humanity, Christmas Baskets program, and Hwy 7 cleanup. John also co-coordinates the Red Cross Blood Drive at the Village United methodist Church. John and Carolyn have together donated over 5 gallons of blood since living in the Village. They also have called Bingo at Good Sam’s and volunteer at the Special Olympics.  

Carolyn assists John by processing pictures for the Knight’s web site. She is a member of the St. Mary’s Guild and is the photographer for Ladies of the Sacred Heart events. She also processes pictures for the LOSH website. She is a cantor and a member of the 10:00 AM Sunday Choir and a volunteer at Jackson House. 

John and Carolyn are members of the Hot Springs Village Players. Both of them have acted in plays and Carolyn is currently directing her 15^th play called 100 Lunches which will run June 14-16 at the Woodlands.

I don’t know when they either have time to eat or sleep. In any event, let’s give them a warm applause for their outstanding contributions to the Church, Knights, and Community.