St. Thomas More Award and Annual Dinner

As noted in the early history chapter, the first Award Dinner almost didn’t happen.  At one of its very first meetings ever, the Executive Committee debated the idea of an award dinner and concluded that it was too late to plan the right kind of dinner for spring 1989 and that it would be best to plan one in 1990.  However, Executive Committee member Harvey Rubenstein asked the Executive Committee to reconsider.  He believed that the Society should establish itself with a high profile event on a grand scale.  He was a good salesman.  At the next Executive Committee meeting in March 1989, he persuaded the Executive Committee to authorize the planning and holding of such an award dinner just two months later in May.  By acclaim, the Executive Committee approved the selection of the Honorable Collins J. Seitz, Sr. to receive the award.  Dinner plans were hurriedly carried out.   

On May 13, 1989, many lawyers in formal attire attended 5:00 Mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral celebrated by Monsignor Taggart, then repaired to the Rodney Square Club in the heart of Wilmington for a reception and dinner.  More than 150 guests attended, including Bishop Mulvee, Chancellor and Mrs. Seitz, and Chief Justice and Mrs. Andrew D. Christie.  Professor Diana Hays from Georgetown University’s Department of Theology was the guest speaker.  Justice Joseph T. Walsh  presented Chancellor Seitz with the first  St. Thomas More Award.  The stellar event was everything the Executive Committee hoped it would be and set a standard for the dinners that followed.
 

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