The Explorer. VOL. 20 NO. 3 March 2016

Transcription

1 The Explorer A Publication Of The Kansas Knights of Columbus VOL. 20 NO. 3 March 2016 The Knights of Columbus were well represented at the Religious Freedom Rally on February 17 at the Statehouse. The message was clear: in case you hadn t noticed, the Government is encroaching on our religious freedoms every day. It always starts small, with explanations and excuses for the minor breeches of religious freedoms. The infringements then get bigger and gaudier, as the media, and the other branches of Government get more and more invested in the removal of rights and recognitions and more and more people succumb to the idea that the Christian brand of religion is the opiate of the masses. It also amazes me how much control the media has over the message, calling the people who rally at the Statehouse and participate in the March for Life protesters, while claiming that persons who are counter demonstrators are simply practicing their First Amendment right. The newspapers and television media further downplay the message of Christian protestors by undervaluing the total number of persons participating at these events. The media claimed that hundreds of persons participated at both the March for Life and the Religious Freedom Rally. I guess that the media reports the truth, just not all of the truth, as literally thousands participated at both events. The Culture of Life efforts of the Order in Kansas took another leap forward on February 26, as Kansas installed its eighth sonogram machine with the help of the Order s Sonogram Initiative. This machine was installed at Choices Clinic in Wichita, making it the second machine that Choices has received from this program. They still have the original machine that was installed four years ago. It will now be used in a mobile sonogram lab, allowing Choices to help save lives in a larger scale. I can t wait to see the results of our efforts! Don t forget that the Sonogram Initiative is still building funds. If your Council has not conducted a Culture of Life drive yet this year, this fund is an excellent idea. The Pennies From Heaven fund also collects money at the State Convention. Be certain that your Council makes a Contribution to this fund. Thankfully, we have not had many chances to use this fund this year. We should always pray for the best. However, with tornado season just now beginning, we must be prepared for the worst. It is time to get busy recruiting! March, April and May have always been excellent recruitment months for the Knights of Columbus in Kansas, and I expect this year to be no exception! A year ago, when I wrote the article for the March, 2015 Explorer, Kansas had recruited 674 members and had lost 333 members to suspensions and withdrawals, for a net of 341, and we STATE DEPUTY S MESSAGE had a Net/Net of -2. Today, I am happy and proud to report that Kansas has recruited 717 new members, has lost 228 members to suspensions and withdrawals ( ) for a net of 489 and a Net/Net of 122. We are doing much better this year from a membership perspective. State Membership Director Bob Duffin constantly asks: If we don t recruit young men to be Knights today, who will be there to run the programs and maintain the order after we are all too old to participate? We must continue adding newer, younger members. These new members must be given some responsibilities in the Council, and we must allow them to become leaders. New members are our most valuable asset! There are few Programming reminders that I d like to plug for in March. Don t forget the March 10 deadlines for Knight and Family of the Year contests. April 1 includes a host of forms and deadlines. Make certain that you look over the Calendar of Events to complete and submit these forms. It is never too late to gain recognition for your Council or its members. March 29 is Founder s Day. Don t forget that our founder, the Venerable Father Michael J. McGiveney, wanted our Order to be a society of Catholic men, established in every Parish, that would support the Priests, but also provide a financial safety net for Catholic men and their families. Have you asked a man to join the Knights? Let s make certain to do so, so that each Council can Shoot for the Stars! Vivat Jesus, Patrick D. Winchester, State Deputy DID YOU KNOW? The Kansas Knight of the Month is Larry Stutz of Council #1510 Norton. Information for two months was received from the Supreme Council. The Family of the Month winners of a Holy Family Plaque from Supreme are the Steven & Nancy Hicks of Council 883 Pittsburg; Leon & Sharon Drouhard of Council 3828 Danville; Ron & Mary Hammerschmidt of Council 534 Topeka; Leonard & Donna Gales of Council 1187 Ellinwood; Neal & Julie O Brien of Council Lansing; Oscar & Jeannette Garcia of Council 9510 Colwich; Mike & Karla Scherer of Council Wichita; Gary & Tina Roth of Council Lansing; David & Mary Anderson of Council 1181 Chapman; Roger & Cynthia Ridder of Council 1993 Goodland; Thomas & Reba Bayuk of Council 4113 WaKeeney; Jerome & Teresa Fink of Council 7279 Hutchinson; Mark & Michele Volz of Council Wea. The 115th Annual State Convention will be held in April 29 - May 1, 2016.

2 CALENDAR OF EVENTS MARCH: 1 Deadline for District Substance Abuse Poster Contest Winners to State Youth Chairman nd Annual Men s Bowling Tourney in Lawrence (3rd Weekend) 6 State Free Throw Contest in Salina 6 Major Degrees in Clay Center and Coffeyville 10 Deadline for Council Knight of the Year & Family of the Year to DD Orderwide Church Drive 13 Major Degrees in Garden Plain, Seneca, North Topeka, Larned, Iola, and Salina Orderwide First Degree Week 15 Deadline for Council Vocations Poster Contest Winners to DD Special Olympics Basketball Tournament at Hays 20 Major Degree in Ulysses 20 Deadline for District Knight of Year to Diocesan Judge 20 Deadline for District Family of Year to Diocesan Judge 25 K of C Day of the Unborn Child 25 Deadline for District Vocation Poster Contest winners to Church Director 29 Founders Day, 134th Anniversary of Knights of Columbus APRIL 1 Deadline for the following: Fulfillment of Adopt-A-Seminarian Pledges Diocesan Knight of the Year winners to Fraternal Chairman Diocesan Family of the Year winners to Family Life Director Scrapbook entries to appropriate Directors/Chairmen Culture of Life Report Form to Culture of Life Chair couple Evangelium Vitae Award Applications to Culture of Life Chair couple Council History Reports to State Historian Submit RSVP/Plaque Applications to Supreme 2 4th Degree Exemplification in Schulte 2-3 Columbian Squires Convention in Derby 3 Major Degree in Cawker City 9 Major Degree in Lawrence-St. John s 10 Major Degrees in Kansas City and Hays 16 4th Degree Exemplification at Leawood (St. Michael) 17 World Day of Prayer for Vocations 17 Major Degree in Perry State Convention in Wichita STATE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR We are starting our ninth month of the fraternal year and we have a ways to go if we are going to get to our overall goal of 1300 new or reactivated members for this year. Kansas has always done its best recruiting in the second half of the year, and we need to increase our recruitment efforts if we are to get Kansas back into the Circle of Honor where we belong. Just as the Royals had to overcome adversities to become the World Series Champions, we need to reach out to every eligible non-member and ask him to be a part of our brotherhood. The Knights of Columbus is the world s largest Catholic men s organization and we need to continue to recruit if we are to maintain that title. If we do not recruit new members, who will? I asked the question at the regional meetings, Where are you going to be 10 years from now and where is your council going to be 10 years from now? If we do not bring in new members and help grow your councils, that question is going to be easy to answer. Recruiting and membership should be on every members mind 24/7/365 and if is not then I would like to ask why? The only way the Knights of Columbus is only going to survive is if we bring in those new members in and keep them active with our programs and our charitable works. We need to ask the younger members what is important to them and if they would like to be a part of planning and carrying out those activities. By keeping them involved with everything we do, then they in turn will want to get their Catholic friends involved and they will help you recruit. I hear all the time that we dwell way too much on membership and not so much on all of the programs that the Knights of Columbus offers. My question back to you is, if we don t recruit and bring in new those members now, who is going to be running those programs in the future? Our job as members of the Knights of Columbus is to leave our councils better then they were before we joined, and recruiting new members is how we do that. If we keep all of our members recruiting those non-members we will grow our councils and have them KEEP SHOOTING FOR THE STARS. Thank you, Bob Duffin State Membership Director

3 STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR S MESSAGE Attention Grand Knights: You should have received report forms for Credentials, 50 year members and Necrology from State Secretary Vince Melvin III. They should be completed immediately and sent back to Vince as the due date was March 1, District Deputies, please double check to insure these forms are submitted from all your councils. Vincent P. Melvin III, State Secretary STATE ADVOCATE S MESSAGE Grand Knights: Don t forget that every Council needs to complete and submit the IRS Form 990 so that your Council does not lose its tax exempt status. The Supreme council has provided communication on the subject as follows: As you know, the Knights of Columbus, including all of its subordinate councils and assemblies, is a taxexempt organization, recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a fraternal benefit society under Section 501(c)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code. Notwithstanding our tax exempt status, each council and assembly is required to file an annual informational tax return (IRS Form 990) with the IRS. In addition to our filing requirement, each council and assembly is also responsible for conducting its affairs in a manner that is consistent with what is expected of tax-exempt organizations. Failure to do so may result in a council or assembly losing its tax exempt status. Also, we suggest you visit the IRS's home page on tax-exempt organizations. It is an excellent resource for council and assembly officers who have questions or need information regarding their federal tax obligations: enu1 Make certain that your Council does not become liable to the IRS by NOT reporting! The due date for submitting this form is May 15th! Dale A. Weber, State Advocate STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR S MESSAGE How is your council progressing in its quest for the coveted Star Council Award? The three requirements for the Star Council Award are 1) make the membership quota, 2) make the insurance quota, 3) complete and submit three forms to the Supreme Council office. Two reports are available now on the home page of the state website to track your council s progress and status. These reports will be updated on a regular basis, so check back often! The Annual Survey of Fraternal Activities (Form 1728) is one of the most important documents a council can prepare each year. The Supreme Council needs this report from every council in order to document our tax exempt status. A thank you is extended to all councils who have filed this form in a timely manner. To finish out the fraternal year there is one remaining report, along with council membership and insurance quotas, that is required to qualify for the Star Council Award. The form is the SP-7 form Columbian Award Application. Four (4) activities are required in each of the six (6) programming areas Church, Community, Council, Family, Youth and Culture of Life. You will find twenty (20) examples in each programming areas of potential activities inside the back cover of the Program & Membership Guide. Please review these activities to see if any are applicable for your council in completing the form. All councils should have Form SP-7 completed and submitted to your District Deputy prior to the Convention. DD s are requested to bring these to the Convention. Your council s Knight and Family of the Year should have been chosen by now, as these need to be submitted to your District Deputy by March 10. It is very important we recognize those chosen for this exemplary title. Be sure to submit your entry to your District Deputy on time. District Deputies, please be sure to complete the lists of Council Knights & Families of the Year and submit to the Family Life Director and Fraternal Chairman by March 20. All scrapbooks should be in the finishing stages and need to be received by the appropriate State Director before April 1. All reports required by Directors and Chairmen with an April 1 deadline must be received prior to April 1 to be eligible for awards at our Convention. CHURCH ACTIVITIES Adopt a Seminarian Church Activities Director Bruce Luehring reminds all councils to fulfill their pledges as soon as possible so your seminarian will have the funds they need. If your council has not reported your pledge for the Adopt a Seminarian program to Bruce please, do so as soon as possible so it can be recorded. If your council has pledged at least $500 to a seminarian, please complete the RSVP form and submit to Supreme when the pledge to your seminarian is complete. In addition, continue to give moral and prayerful support to your seminarian.

4 Vocation Poster Contest The theme is: Called Before You Were Born. Every participating council must submit their winning posters to your District Deputy by March 15 so he can forward the district winners to State Vocation Chairman Bruce Luehring by March 25. Make sure to read the instructions in the Program and Membership guide so entries are not rejected. YOUTH ACTIVITIES Free Throw A big "Thank You" to all councils sponsoring free throw contests this year. The State Council and our youth across Kansas applaud you for your hard work! Be sure to file your report #FT-1 with Supreme, and send a copy to our State Deputy. The results need to be documented and suggestions submitted. Congratulations to those youths who captured the top spot and then participated in the district, regional and possibly the state contest. The Kansas Knights of Columbus State Free Throw Championship will be held on Sunday March 6, 2016, at Sacred Heart High School Gym, 230 East Cloud Street, Salina, Kansas at 1:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend to watch some of the best shooters in Kansas compete for the state titles. Columbian Squires The State Squires Convention is set for April 2-3 in Derby. Contact State Squires Chairman Mike Barnard at or squires@kansas-kofc.org for information FAMILY ACTIVITIES It is time to select a family from your council for the honor of Family of the Year. This is an opportunity to truly honor one of your best families. The family you select could be selected as the Kansas State Family of the Year. Take the time to do this. While you are selecting your family, put together a scrapbook. The scrapbooks need to be submitted to me by April 1. Don t wait till the last minute; get both of these done early. If you have any questions about either, contact Edwin Schmeidler, Jr., Family Life Director, at family@kansas-kofc.org or (785) COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Pennies From Heaven Pennies from Heaven Needs Your Help!!! Pennies from Heaven Chairman Richard Broz needs your donations for the Country Store and Auction at the State Convention. Only a handful of items have been donated so far and Richard would like at least one item donated from each of the 55 districts. Call him right away at or to confirm an item for the auction or store. Has your council s Pennies from Heaven Fund reached its full potential? There is still time to hold a fundraiser. Look for our New State Convention branded country store items online and at our country store this year. More details on the State web site along with the link to our online country store. Remember: Pennies from Heaven Money needs to be turned into the Country Store. Forms of payment! Items in the Country Store and sold at the auction can now be paid for using a debit or credit card. Checks and cash will still be accepted also. Commitment to Humanities (Tootsie Roll) Update The 2015 Tootsie Roll Drive has been completed, however, there are still some councils that have not submitted their report. Many charitable organizations depend on this money for their activities throughout the year, along with supporting the Special Olympics Basketball and Cheerleading contests. Please finalize this report today. Commitment to Humanities Chairman Paul Haverkamp thanks everyone who participated in the program. We are on pace to meet our goal and set a new record. Paul also invites you to join us at the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament in Hays March Councils should also be working on their Community Activities scrapbook and submitting it to Community Activity Director Paul Haverkamp before April 1. CULTURE OF LIFE ACTIVITIES Friday, March 25, is the K of C Day of the unborn Child. Supreme has prayer cards and other printed support materials available. You council may want to consider sponsoring a Mass or prayer service in conjunction of this celebration. For further support materials - Friday, April 1 is the DEADLINE for sending: A completed council Culture of Life Report with a brief listing of items donated and the monetary value of supplies/clothing and money donated Evangelium Vitae Award Application please review the applications as many of your activities will bring your council to the opportunity to win this traveling award. Scrapbook on a Culture of Life Event that your council participated in. The scrapbook does not have to be crafty. It is to show the heart and caring that your council shares with your parish and community in the name of Culture of Life. If you have questions on any of the above items, please contact Tom or Gail as soon as possible. As Knights, we are working to build a culture that respects and protects every human life from conception to natural death. Special Thank you to the councils

5 that are sending further funds for the Ultra Sound fund. Helping change one life make it all so worthwhile. COUNCIL ACTIVITIES Council Activities Councils are encouraged to be creative in planning council activities. Make sure your activities promote participation and the principles of unity and fraternity. Don t forget to submit a scrapbook for your best activity to Mike Grothoff, Council Activities Director, by April 1, 2016 Athletics The 72nd Annual Knights of Columbus Men s Bowling Tournament will be held at the Royal Crest Lanes in Lawrence and hosted by the councils of District 18. The dates of the tournament are February 20-21, February and March 5-6. The 2016 Sporting Clays Tournament is scheduled for April 23, 2016 at the Shady Creek Sporting Clays center in Belle Plaines, Kansas. The host council, Wichita St. Jude, invites all Brother Knights to join them for great fun and fellowship. All the proceeds from the tournament will be used to support the food pantry at St. Jude s. Watch the state website for more information including start times, prices, prizes and registration. If you have questions please contact, Brian Fisher at (316) The 2016 Knights of Columbus Golf Tournament is scheduled for July 30 31, It is hosted by Salina Council 601 and held at the Salina Municipal Golf Course in Salina. More information about the tournament will be available in the near future on the Kansas State website. Fraternal All councils across the state should have selected a council Knight of the Year. The deadline to submit the application to your District Deputy is March 10. Don t be afraid to ask your Knight of the Year to provide you with as much information as possible and help you complete the application. The state Knight of the Year is chosen from the information provided on the application, so please be thorough and complete. Remember to keep a copy of the application for your council files. District Deputies should submit your District Knight of the Year application to the appropriate Diocesan Judge by March 20. Remember to sign the winning application. I remind all District Deputies to send the list of your Council and District winners to State Fraternal Chairman Gary Wondra in order for them to be included in the Convention Reports and for certificates to be presented. Every council should continue to select a Knight of the Month and submit his name to Gary by the 15th of each month for the opportunity of being selected as the State Knight of the Month. Please send any address changes or corrections to State Secretary Vincent Melvin III in order to keep the State mailing list current. Publicity State Publicity Chairman Gary Wondra reminds councils to publicize the good works of the Knights of Columbus. Councils should send or Gary copies of articles on activities and important news worthy events. Webmaster It is important to keep the website information as current as possible in order for news items, events and plans to be shared as soon as possible with all State, Assembly and Council officers, and members. Webmaster Doug Wietharn reminds all councils, assemblies and members to send him updates for the website. If you have any questions about the website, please contact Doug at webmaster@kansas-kofc.org. We are still in need of many Grand Knight s addresses. Please submit them as soon as possible. History As State Historian-Archivist, I have been able to provide information to those seeking information or verification about their council and those who have served the Order, but only with the help of the councils who file their annual history update report and other printed material. Several councils in Kansas are now making plans to celebrate their 25th, 50th, 75th, or 100th anniversary and have sought information. Now that the State Council has digitized all council history that is on file, it makes it simple to research history. The source of all council information in the Archives is submitted by the council for preservation. Our history is our heritage to the future members of your council. The report form can be found at the Kansas State Council website: The history report can be submitted online. I encourage the council historian to type the report or file the report(s) by using and retain one copy for council files. The annual History Update Report for this fraternal year is due April 1, Todd R. Bachamp State Program Director

6 MARCH/2016 EXPLORER INSURANCE REPORT The Knights of Columbus agency department is proud to congratulate the following men for achieving the honor of Field Agent of the Month for their respective agencies: Eastern Kansas Agency: Jon Reboulet wrote $2,000,000 in life insurance protection on members and their families in January. Central Kansas Agency: John Schibi wrote $750,000 in life insurance protection on members and their families in January. Western Kansas Agency: J. J. Deges wrote $3,500,000 in life insurance protection on members and their families in January. The three agencies combined to write a total of $35,175,029 in life insurance during the month of January. Please join us in congratulating the following men for their outstanding performance. These men lead the state or the Knights of Columbus insurance program in January of J. J. Deges Wade Greif Brian O Neill Darren Mueller Adam Cebula Shaun McGovern David Soukup Kirby Schmelzle Joe Cummings Darin Reed If you or someone you know would like to join our winning team of Field Agents please call for more information Vincent P. Melvin III State Secretary 6016 S.W. Fairlawn Road Topeka, KS ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED FIRST CLASS MAIL US POSTAGE PAID AXTELL KS Permit No. 9 SHOOTING FOR THE STARS!