When the lights dimmed in the Peoria Civic Center ballroom on Saturday night, the room still glowed with the flames of candles held by those who helped raise about $65,000 to benefit Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria.

“We are all here tonight because each and every one of us truly believes in the mission of Catholic Charities,” said State Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, who with his wife Nancy served as masters of ceremonies for the “Light of Hope” dinner and auction on June 6.

About 215 people attended the fund and awareness-raising evening, which featured both silent and live auctions. The dinner is the major event of Catholic Charities Month, which continues with local and regional activities scheduled throughout the diocese in June.

Msgr. Doug Hennessy, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Bloomington and vice president of the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, closed the evening with a prayer that “the good work of Catholic Charities in our diocese be given new impetus for spreading the light of hope” through the generosity of all involved in the event.

While the celebration recalled more than 30,000 lives impacted by the agency’s programs and services last year, an eight-minute video told one powerful, personal story of love. Featured in the video were Kenny and Chris Lusk of Pekin, a Catholic Charities foster family, and Kyndra, an infant with medical needs they welcomed into their home and eventually adopted.

Examples of loving sacrifice such as the Lusks’ “is why I wake up every morning to do this job,” said Kim Hubbs, their case manager, who sat with the Lusks during the banquet. Kyndra beamed as they all received a standing ovation at the end of the video.

“We want all of our children to be protected and nurtured,” said Sen. Brady. “We want our families to be strengthened when faced with obstacles. We want a place where people can turn to who are in crisis. And we want our communities to be just and compassionate.

“Catholic Charities delivers all of these things,” he said in encouraging support.

Three days earlier, Peggy Arizzi — executive director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Peoria — was honored at a reception at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria for receiving the 2009 Community Achievement Award from the University of Illinois School of Social Work Alumni Association.

The award is presented to an alumnus who has made a significant contribution to his or her agency and is recognized as a community leader. Her name will be etched on a glass plaque displayed at the school of social work.