The Foundation for the Benefit of Helias Catholic High School will honor two people with inductions into its Hall of Fame on Saturday.
The 2023 inductees are Dwayne Clingman, a 1982 graduate of the high school, and Marylyn Geraghty DeFeo, a 1954 graduate of St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City.
DeFeo founded the Samaritan Center and has been its volunteer director since 1987. She is a member of Immaculate Conception Parish, where she serves the St. Anne's Sodality and the Immaculata Club.
DeFeo received a papal award in 2000. Pope John Paul II gave her the Cross Pro-Ecclesia et Pontifice (Cross for the Church and the Pontiff), which may be presented to lay people who have given distinguished service to the church and papacy. Other awards she has received include the Avila College Alumnae Achievement Award, Elks Distinguished Citizen Award, Zonta Club Women of Achievement Award, St. Teresa Outstanding Alumnae Award and Red Cross Heart of a Hero Award.
She has seven children and 35 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Clingman is the athletic director and an assistant principal at the high school. He is a member of St. Martin Parish. He has served on the St. Martin Council Knights of Columbus and the Jefferson City Area YMCA board. He was recognized as the Four Rivers Conference coach of the year in 2016 and district coach of the year in 2017.
The event will also recognize Victor Bell, the Helias Catholic High School civics and advanced placement American history teacher, assistant head football coach and head coach of freshman boys basketball. He is to receive the 2023 Staff Member of the Year Award. He has previously been recognized with the 2020 Fisher Family Good Samaritan Award.
The Legacy Celebration and Helias Hall of Fame induction will begin 6 p.m. Saturday with a cocktail reception at the school, 1305 Swifts Highway. A buffet dinner begins at 7 p.m. The induction program begins at 8 p.m.
There will be no live music or post-induction entertainment.
Submitted photo: Dwayne Clingman
Submitted photo: Marylyn DeFeo