By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer

David and Patricia Wright, members of St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake, will be presented with the Catholic Charities “Richard J. Hughes Humanitarian Award” at its 27th annual Guardian Angel Dinner Dance on Sept. 24 in the Hyatt Regency Princeton.  The couple will join other longtime individual, parish and corporate supporters of the organization as honorees at the signature fundraising event for the Diocese of Trenton’s social services organization.

The Richard J. Hughes Humanitarian Award, instituted in 1992, was named after the former New Jersey governor to recognize his support and commitment to Catholic Charities. Recipients are “an outstanding leader with a commitment to humanitarian causes; a devoted advocate of Catholic Charities and the betterment of mankind in general who strives to improve the quality of life of individuals across all economic and social lines through dedication and compassion,” according to the CCDOT website.

The Wrights are longtime supporters of Catholic Charities. David has served on the organization’s board of trustees for nine years, including as board chairman. He also has worked on building homes for Coastal Habitat for Humanity and has served on its board. Patricia has been involved in other activities supporting vulnerable individuals and families in the Diocese.

Each year, the Guardian Angel Dinner Dance serves as public recognition of the organization’s invaluable work with the poor and vulnerable while serving as a salute to the people, parishes and agencies that have positively impacted CCDOT.

CCDOT’s “Light of Hope award” is presented in each of the Diocese’s four counties — Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean — and honors individuals or groups for their support and commitment to Catholic Charities in their communities.

As the Light of Hope Award winner for Burlington County, St. John Neumann Parish, Mount Laurel, serves 2,900 families. Since 1992, the parish has supported Catholic Charities programs through nearly $50,000 in both monetary and in-kind donations.

Monmouth County’s Light of Hope Award winner, St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, was founded in 1971 and serves 4,100 families. Headed by Msgr. Sam A. Sirianni, pastor, the parish is committed to reaching out to those in need within the community through the Father Benedict ministry, holiday gifts and food collections.

Peter Haas, the Light of Hope, Mercer County honoree, served as board chair for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) and is an active volunteer with the Knights of Columbus in his parish, St. Anthony of Padua, Hightstown. The Ocean County Light of Hope honoree, Component Hardware Group, has been a generous supporter of Catholic Charities’ Providence House Domestic Violence Services for many years.

Lakewood-based NJM Insurance Group will be awarded “Corporate Citizen of the Year” for its generous support of Catholic Charities. Susan Parker, a former client of Catholic Charities’ Delaware House in Burlington County and peer advocate, will receive the Client Achievement Award.

The dinner dance is $210 per person and will begin at 5 p.m. with cocktails and a silent auction, followed by the awards program, dinner and dancing to the music of Purple Reign. A super 50/50 raffle will be held. For more information, or to purchase tickets, contact Sarah Macken at 609-394-5181 x1159.