The Setter Foundation & Benefit Dinner History

Over the years many people have asked me how the "Annual Benefit Cigar Dinner" got started.  Actually, the answer is quite simple.  In 1996 I began receiving a lot of media attention about my love of cigars.  I guess the media looked at my love for cigars as a Catholic priest as something novel or unique.  In fact I remember being asked once by a reporter "What do you think God thinks about you smoking cigars?" I quickly replied "I'm sure He doesn't mind, after all, He smokes Cohibas." When I realized how much attention I was drawing, I decided to try to do something worthwhile with it.  Make no mistake, any time you see your name in print it pumps up your ego a bit.  I'll be the first to admit that.  And anyone that tells you otherwise is either lying or they're in the media so much that it doesn't matter to them any more.  Anyway, if I was going to be recognized as a cigar personality, then I wanted to make sure that while I would enjoy it, I also needed to do some good with it at the same time.  And so came the idea of hosting a cigar dinner.  I had been to several of them around the country and believed that I could put one together also.  At the first dinner, the people were so excited about it, they asked me to do one the next year.  I made more contacts in the industry to help donate things and created a mailing list of cigar smokers in the Wichita area.  Before I knew it, we were raising serious money that I could give to organizations that truly needed a helping hand financially.  Today, my Annual Benefit Dinner is without a doubt, one of the nicest dinner events offered all year long in the Wichita area.  In fact, we now have people coming from all over the United States each year.  We have had some major manufacturers attend as well including Sal Fontana, Carlos Fuente, Jr., Tony Borhani and Rocky Patel.  I hope that more manufacturers will be able to join us in the years to come.  And that brings me to the real heroes of my Benefit Dinner:  the cigar makers and retailers that have been so generous in helping me out over the years.  Without them, I couldn't make this happen one year, let alone ten.  They have donated many items for the auctions and raffles and that is why my event has been so successful.  A special thanks goes out to them for their continued kindness and support.

I also want to thank all of you that have made my Annual Benefit Dinner so successful over the years.  With your kindness and generosity many people in the Wichita area have been assisted in ways they never imagined possible! I hope you will keep working with me as we continue this great tradition of local charity for those less fortunate than ourselves.

Here is a look at what we have done to help the local community:

1997     Orpheum Theater Renovation Effort                  $3,600

1998     Guadalupe Clinic                                                    $8,000

1999     Kansas Foodbank                                                  $20,000

2000     Anthony Family Shelter                                        $18,000

2001     Literacy Resources of the Metropolitan Area   $21,000

2002     Lord's Diner                                                             $18,000

2003     Center of Hope                                                        $18,000

2004     A.C.P./Dodge House                                              $16,000

2005     Shelter The Heart Campaign                                 $20,000

2006     Gerard House, Cigar Family Foundation, Center of Hope, & Several Donations to area Charity Events                                                                                   $10,500

2007     Mother Mary Anne Clinic, Union Rescue Mission, The Lord's Diner, Center of Hope, Gerard House, The ARC $13,000

Thank you once again for your wonderful support!

Keep Your Smoking Holy!