KOFC – Council 11091 Newsletter

From the Grand Knight’s Desk:

Happy New Year My Brothers!!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

We finished out the year 2018 on a strong note with a busy December. Thanks to everyone that donated at the blood drive, and to our crew that ran the event. Giving blood saves lives, and our council provided 233 units for the year.

We had great attendance for a joyous celebration of the Christmas season at our Family Christmas Party. Our hosts Julie & Larry O’Brien added a few new games that were enjoyed by all. The next day Breakfast with Santa was a great success. Thanks to all the volunteers who answered the call to work this event. Special kudos to our chair Marv Basch and his wife Wendy for their enthusiasm and fresh approach. This served as a great example of how a first-time event chairman is supported by the council. Chairing an event can seem a daunting task, but your Brothers will be there every step of the way to lend support and guidance. If you haven’t ever chaired an event, I invite you to find one that appeals to you or look for something new to add to our programs.

The Fourth Degree was represented when our parish hosted one of the nights of Simbang Gabi, a devotional nine-day series of Masses practiced by our Filipino community in anticipation of Christmas.

Our offer to Become A Knight Before Christmas was accepted by three parishioners who took their First degree on the 20th. Introduce yourself and say hello to Bob Dubiel, Karl Gray, and Bob Hardin, and welcome them to our council when you see them at the next event. Thank you to Chris Burns, Chris Hubbuch, Mike Barrett, and John Schneider for their pulpit talks.

With all of the food that we encounter during the holidays, one can forget that there are many people in the world who must go without. Our efforts at the Feed My Starving Children organization help to make an impact on reducing world hunger. Check with John Barrett if making a difference in this area appeals to you.

Our Christmas Tree Lot had to overcome several obstacles this year, but in the end, the majority of the trees, wreathes, and roping found a home. The Tree Lot committee this year really came thru, and on several nights they were the only Brothers there to man the lot. A big Thank You to all Knights who volunteered their time.

As we continue the Christmas Season thru the Baptism of our Lord (celebrated on January 13th) we have the following upcoming events to get 2019 started off on the right path. Now in its 18th year, the Free Throw Competition is one of our long-time running events. Join Nick Wake and the crew on Saturday January 12th for a truly enjoyable event. Two weeks later on the 26th we will hold a spaghetti dinner that is special in the sense that we work with SVDP to serve families in need as our guests, made possible through the generosity of parish donors.

Finally, what goes up must come down, and our community Nativity scene crews could use some help to take down the Nativity sets throughout the area. Reach out to Kevin Fitzgerald if you can help.

You will notice some new plumbing fixtures in the men’s room of McDonnell Hall. The drain pipes in the 60+ year old building were collapsing, and required a reroute to prevent further malfunctions. Thank you to Dave Campbell for volunteering his time and skill to install new fixtures that will get us thru the next 60+ years.

In closing, let us keep the spirit of the Christmas Season alive in our hearts as we go forth to love and serve the Lord.

Vivat Jesus!

Dan Kotleba