Knights of Columbus honors children of slain police corporal
Continuing its goal to honor first responders, the Hot Springs Knights of Columbus Council 6419 donated $ 2,000 Tuesday for scholarships for the children of Hot Springs Police Cpl. Brent Scrimshire, who was killed in the line of duty on March 10.
The funds for the scholarship were taken from money left over after a collection was taken from the parishioners of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and St. Mary of the Springs Catholic Church to fund the Fourth Annual First Responders 9/ 11 Breakfast.
“This year, we had the hurdle of COVID-19, but we put our heads together and decided instead of having one breakfast in the parish hall, we would deliver breakfasts to the first responders,” a news release said. “We had the largest breakfast to date serving over 1,000 meals.”
“This is the first year we’ve done a scholarship (with the surplus money),” Knights of Columbus member Fred Burban said, noting in 2019 they used the money to hold a prime rib dinner for first responders following the breakfast.
“I am thankful for this organization and what they do not only for 9/ 11, but the way they supported the Scrimshire family,” Hot Springs Police Chief Chris Chapmond said Tuesday. “This community continues to show their love and support for our fallen officer and the children and the wife of Brent.”
“Every Sept. 11 we have a ceremony commemorating what happened on 9/ 11, but with the emphasis of supporting our first responders,” the Rev. George Sanders, pastor of St. John’s, said.
“They were the ones who responded in 2001 during 9/ 11 but now we want to honor all responders, our police, sheriff, EMTs, state police, the ones who work in the park, everyone who is a first responder we want to honor.
“We feed them all free of charge and bring them in to honor them. We converted 9/ 11 into a day to honor first responders. We also include the nurses and doctors at the hospitals,” Sanders said. “We had some money given over and above, and it was unanimously decided to give it to the Scrimshire fund to provide scholarships.”
The original idea for the breakfast came from Dayton Myers, then a 15-year-old member of the Squires, a youth wing of the Knights, who said Tuesday at the time there was a lot of controversy about police brutality making the news.
“I felt like we needed to honor them,” Myers said. “All they do is put their lives on the line and protect us every day and they do not get the appreciation for that they deserve.”
“He suggested it to the Knights of Columbus and we
knew it was the right thing,” Hans Purkott, a member of the organization, said. “And we honor them countywide, not just in the city.”
“The outpouring from the community has just been amazing,” Chapmond said.
The Knights of Columbus, using money raised from donations to its semiannual rummage sales and work projects, also support scholarships to St. John’s Catholic School, the Project HOPE Food Bank, Jackson House, The Salvation Army of Hot Springs, St. Mary’s Food Pantry, Cooperative Christian Ministries and Clinic, The Caring Place, Samaritan Ministries, Changepoint Crisis Center, Disabled American Veterans and the Faces Foundation, the release said.
“With the help of our Lord we look forward to another year of hard work and supporting those in need in our community,” it said.