Stettler's parish hall was a full house on Sunday evening as people came in to enjoy the annual Bob Fyten memorial supper hosted by the Knights of Columbus on April 24.
Over 20 years ago, Bob Fyten, a member of the Stettler's Knights of Columbus chapter had an idea to raise some money for the council.
"A meat inspector by trade, Bob had been perfecting a sausage recipe and offered it to the Knights to market as a way to make money," said Tom Fisher, one of the main event organizers and member of the Knights. "The sausage supper evolved shortly thereafter and has been an annual event since."
Unfortunately, just over two years ago, Bob Fyten succumbed to cancer after a long battle, and after that the event was renamed as the 'Bob Fyten Memorial Supper' in his honour.
This year there was a record turnout with the Knights serving just over 150 patrons. "Sausage sales prior to the supper was also a record and we sold 2,000 pounds, and although the final numbers are still being tallied, it looks like the council will show a profit of between $2,500 and $3,000," said Fisher. "In the sausage preparation, we have stayed true to Bob's original ingredients with the perfect blend of spice, pork and beef, with the sausage being lean but not dry, juicy but not fat, and it is gluten free, and the recipe is a well-kept secret, only available through the annual sausage drive."
The Knight of Columbus provide the funds to the community in a variety of ways and it changes from year to year as the needs of the community change.
"In the past we have offered financial support to Stettler minor hockey teams, Heartland Youth Centre, Stettler Food Bank, educational bursaries and individual support to families in need," said Fisher. "The Knights is a fraternal organization of Catholic men who focus on family."
The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney and was named to honour Christopher Columbus.
"At the beginning, the main object of the Knights was to provide support for widows and their families if the man of the house was killed in battle, but today the focus remains on family and to be of service to the community," explained Fisher. "The Bob Fyten memorial supper and our 'event tents' for rent are our two major fundraisers for the year."
"Whether it is our event tent rentals or the sausage supper, we can always count on the support from the great people in the area," added Fisher, thanking the community for its backing.