Grant County leaders gather for prayer

15th annual mayor's breakfast draws about 150

GRANT COUNTY - Leaders in Grant County came together in prayer and for breakfast Tuesday morning at Big Bend Community College.

Sponsored by the Moses Lake Kiwanis, approximately 150 people were in attendance for the annual Grant County Mayor's Prayer Breakfast.

Joann Hosszu, Moses Lake Kiwanis member and chair of the prayer breakfast, said she felt that the event surpassed her expectations.

The prayer breakfast focused on the family unit, Hosszu explained, and the need to get back to basics.

"Appreciating our husbands and wives, not just saying it's an easy out, just divorce," she said. "Our youth have got to understand marriage comes before anything else."

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback, amongst others, Jeff Kemp was the guest speaker.

"The purpose of the event is to bring the community together to pray for the roads, the streets, different people and everyone who is in law enforcement, who's in our cities -of course our mayors and their supportive staffs, fire departments, police departments, chamber of commerce, the whole thing," Hosszu explained. "There's a lot more to our cities than our mayors."

There were a lot more mayors from around Grant County in attendance, Hosszu added.

Participating in the program, Moses Lake Mayor Ron Covey delivered a greeting. Warden Mayor Roldan Capetillo read a portion of the New Testament, while Wilson Creek Mayor Kathy Bohnet read a portion of the Old Testament.

Bohnet said she attended last year's prayer breakfast, but had not participated.

"I thought it was a good thing," she said. "I appreciated the prayers that were offered. Lord knows we need all the help we can get in fulfilling, doing our jobs. It was mostly stressing, asking for guidance, integrity and committing to being public servants, to serving others."

Kemp stressed the importance of strong families, which are essential and the basic building block of a stable society, Bohnet said.

"I think it's spiritually just a good event that brings community leaders together," Covey said. "It gives us an opportunity to pray for intelligence, wisdom and guidance to perform our duty."

"I really think it's important that people who share a Christian faith have a chance to come together and celebrate that," master of ceremonies P.J. De Benedetti said. "And join in prayer. To hear the quality of speakers like Jeff Kemp, we don't get that opportunity every day. To have him share his faith, I think was very inspirational."

Kiwanis past president Patty Laughery said the event was in conjunction with National Prayer Day, and similar prayer breakfasts took place all over the United States.

Hosszu said plans are to hold the prayer breakfast again next year, at around the same time, but the date has not been set yet.

Grant County Commissioner LeRoy Allison offered a prayer of leadership for city and country, Warden School District Superintendent Sandra Sheldon offered a prayer for leadership in our schools and former senator Joyce Mulliken said a prayer for state and nation.

The Rev. Jon Bartlett offered an opening prayer, and the Rev. Mike Alvarado offered the closing prayer.