from the State Deputy

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1 from the Texas State Council Volume 8 Issue 10 Publication of the Texas State Council Knights of Columbus OCT 2013 STATE DEPUTY Jim Collins (Duchess) (cell) jcollinskc@comcast.net STATE CHAPLAIN Most Reverend Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller MSp.S San Antonio (office) STATE SECRETARY Terry Simonton (Estelle) (cell) simon@vvm.com STATE TREASURER Doug Oldmixon (Jo-Dee) (cell) doldmixon@austin.rr.com STATE ADVOCATE Diego Pena (Pia) (cell) djpena57@me.com STATE WARDEN Rudy Escamilla (Amy) (cell) rudy_242@hotmail.com IMMEDIATE PAST STATE DEPUTY Tony Herreth (Marty) (cell) therreth@att.net from the State Deputy We Have Crossed the Threshold of the 100,000th Member It Didn t Just Happen Dear Brother Knights, Jim Collins STATE DEPUTY When you receive this issue Texas will have crossed the threshold of the 100,000th member. It didn t just happen. It required a commitment by all to come together in Unity for a common cause. This is a milestone of membership growth that exemplifies a dedicated decision by the membership throughout the state. As Duchess and I travel this state we meet many Brother Knights and their wives that are dedicated to our Principles and Church teachings and individually contribute many hours of service to the church and community. The Knights of Columbus is not just a fraternity in name. It is a brotherhood of Catholic men who each play a part in improving the world around them, one community at a time. They stand together in faith, dedicated to uphold the principles they cherish while lending their support and strength to parish, home, and fellow Knights. This is what makes our Order unique from any other family or men s organization in the world. We proudly wear the emblem of the Order with the right to be called the Knights of Columbus who make a difference in someone s life everyday around the world. Worthy Grand Knight, Texas is on track for the best year yet and your leadership will be the deciding factor to achieving this recognition. Have you prepared for this fraternal year by reviewing the Grand Knights Handbook? It is intended that this booklet be descriptive of the important elements of the grand knight s duties, thereby, enabling him to carry out his responsibilities. Active membership is the heartbeat of the Order and it is the utmost importance that we as Brother Knights take on the responsibility of continued growth in the Order. This fraternal year, membership throughout the state has the opportunity to continued on page 2 FINISH LINE 1

2 SUPREME DIRECTOR Javier Martinez (Marietta) (cell) ASSOCIATE STATE CHAPLAIN Most Reverend Bishop George Sheltz (office) ASSISTANT TO STATE CHAPLAIN Deacon Mitch Chavez come together finishing in the Circle of Honor. This is an accomplishment that cannot be achieved by the state officers or district deputies alone. It must be achieved with the state wide council commitment and leadership of the Grand Knight. You may ask yourself, what can I, as the Grand Knight, and my council do to be part of this success and the answer would be Achieve Star Council! If you ask yourself what is required to be a recipient of this prestigious Supreme award, I refer you to the Texas State Council Star Guide, page 2 or contact your District Deputy! It is important that you keep track of your success this fraternal year. At the beginning of the current year all grand knights were issued a Fraternal Leader Success Planner prepared by the Supreme Council (If you did not receive this please the state deputy at jcollinskc@comcast.net and it will be promptly mailed to you). Using this planner is a way to help the council continued on page 5 EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Mike McLaughlin (Dawn) (office) mikem@tkofc.org STATE ADMIN ACCOUNTANT Kari Jordan (office) kjordan@tkofc.org STATE ADMIN COUNCIL RECORDS Kathleen McLoughlin (office kathleenm@tkofc.org STATE COUNCIL OFFICE 6633 Highway 290 East Suite 204 Austin, TX (office) (fax) FINISH LINE Editor Bobb Mahrer (cell) r-mahrer@geusnet.com Columbus Day October 12th: The Knights of Columbus remembers the death of Christopher Columbus. It was Columbus who opened the Americas to Christianity, and we pause to remember why it is that we bear his name. At the time of the Order s founding, anti-catholic sentiment in the United States continued to marginalize Catholics and Catholic immigrants simply because of their faith. As a result, in 1882, our founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, and our first Supreme Knight, James Mullen, chose the name Knights of Columbus because the explorer was a Catholic who was nonetheless universally regarded as a national hero. By taking the name Columbus, the Knights were able to remind the entire country of the Catholic roots of the New World, and to highlight the fact that faithful Catholics could also be good citizens, a fact that few would question today. We ask God to grant eternal rest to Christopher Columbus, and take pride in the fact that in naming our organization for him, we helped to establish the now widely-accepted principle that every nation should always accept and honor the contributions of all its citizens, whatever their background, and wherever they come from. --- Supreme Knight Carl Anderson Copyright 2013, Knights of Columbus, Texas State Council, Austin, Texas The FINISH LINE is published monthly by the State Deputy and electronically posted on the tkofc website by the Editor. This publication is a running outlook of the activities, events, award criteria, and due dates for the next days. Specific questions about Membership, Charities, Programs, Council Development, Communications, and the specific subjects therein should be directed to the appropriate State Director. [Bobb Mahrer, Editor] FINISH LINE 2

3 STATE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Terry Fruge (Beth) (cell) STATE RECRUITMENT CHAIRMAN Jack Gunn (Lori) (cell) MEMBERSHIP Message Pending Message Pending Terry Fruge, State Membership Director Greetings My Brother Knights, Message pending. Fraternally, Terry Fruge Terry Fruge STATE ALL COUNCILS ACTIVE CHAIRMAN Tom Watters Sr. (June) (cell) STATE MEMBERSHIP 365 CHAIRMAN Carlos Martinez (Rosamar) (cell) STATE COLLEGE COUNCILS CHAIRMAN Tony Gutierrez (cell) STATE CEREMONIALS CHAIRMAN Clarence Fey (Helen) STATE RETENTION CHAIRMAN Ed Glisky (Karen) (cell) 100,000 MEMBERS Texas is now the largest jurisdiction in the America s FINISH LINE 3

4 STATE CHARITIES DIRECTOR Mark Evans (Mary) (cell) STATE FUNDRAISING CHAIRMAN Bill Elliott (Karen) (cell) STATE SPECIAL OLYMPICS CHAIRMAN Jack Harvey (Jerre) (cell) CHARITIES Message Pending Message Pending Mark Evans, State Charities Director My Brother Knights, Message Pending Fraternally, Mark Evans Mark Evans STATE INFIRMED PRIESTS CARDINAL MEDEIROS CHAIRMAN Paul Fehmel (Mary) (cell) STATE CHARITY REPORTS HISTORICAL DATA CHAIRMAN David Zwingman (Barbara) (cell) STATE CHAIRITIES BOARD Boyd Burris (Patricia) (cell) Bobb Mahrer (Glenda) (cell) Joe Picard (Jeanne) (cell) John Regan (Collen) (cell) Charity Pin Do you have yours? FINISH LINE 4

5 S S Knights of Columbus Outreach Week In honor of St. Francis of Assisi and our Holy Father, all Knights of Columbus councils are invited to participate in the Outreach Week initiative by conducting charitable programs between Friday, October 4 (the feast day of St. Francis) and Sunday, October 13, in honor of our Pope. St. Francis of Assisi is known as the man of poverty, and a central theme of Pope Francis has been service to the poor. Now Knights can show their solidarity with these two holy men by providing outreach to those less fortunate than ourselves in our communities. The Order has many programs in place to help people who need help. Councils can visit kofc.org/community for ideas on specific programs to conduct. Councils do an outstanding job of assessing needs in their individual communities and developing programs to meet those needs, so they should in no way limit themselves to the program ideas on the website. Whatever a council chooses to do, the important thing is that each and every council do something. While councils are conducting outreach programs during this week and throughout the year, it is important to remember that every program represents a membership recruitment opportunity. A great way to convince a prospect to join the Order or to get a current member to be more active is to invite him to participate in charitable programs. Each grand knight is encouraged to tell the Supreme Council about the programs his council conducts during Outreach Week by sending an to fraternal services. Some of the best programs will be showcased in the Knights in Action section of Columbia, in Knightline and on the Supreme Council website. State Deputy s Message continued leadership make good use of their time and focus on the priorities of the council. This planner is designed primarily to aid in defining and tracking progress of your goals. You can also keep track of important milestones. Make a pledge for the remaining months of this fraternal year to focus on programming and active membership recruitment. Be visible in the parish with a goal to finish the fraternal year as Star Council! Vivat Jesus! Jim Collins, State Deputy FINISH LINE 5

6 PRO-LIFE IN TEXAS Brownsville Knights Open New Pregnancy Center BROWNSVILLE: Knights open new Gift of Life Pregnancy Center in Brownsville. From left (kneeling) are Roland Flores and Belia Ortega; (center row) Angelita Leal, Mersa Drew, Anna Julieta Solis, (back row) Alejandra Solis (Council #13978), Father Jorge Gomez (Holy Family Catholic Church), Martin Leal (DD-168), Leo Lopez (Council #13978), Hank Lyons (Council #4779), Carol Lyons, Grand Knight Roy Guzman (Council #13978, and Financial Secretary Servando Luna (Council #13978). (reported by Martin Leal) After three years, the dream became a reality Martin Leal, District Deputy 168 BROWNSVILLE: Martin Leal Sr (DD-168) and his son Martin Leal Jr. (right) hold a sign signaling the official opening of the new Gift of Life Pregnancy Center in Brownsville, a project made possible from three of years of funding from the Brownsville Hike For Life.. (reported by Martin Leal) BROWNSVILLE: The journey began in September of 2010, with a few Knights and their families, through their Life Affirming Ministry, who believed in a dream that could make a difference. Since 2010, donations were requested from the Hike for Life in Brownsville with the promise that the funds would be used to build a pregnancy center. After three years, the dream became a reality when the Board of Directors for the Gift of Life Pregnancy Center voted to rent office space and signed a lease in early September 2013 to open the new center. All of members of the Board of Directors are Knights. Brownsville Council #13978, Brownsville Spanish Council #15448, and Port Isabel Council #4779 have members on the Board of Directors of the new center. In addition to these councils, Brownsville Council 1553 and Brownsville Assembly 1127 have been very active in helping out during the Hike for Life in Brownsville. The Hike in Brownsville has been the main source of funding for the new center. (reported by Martin Leal) Start a Hike For Life in your area!!! Contact State Pro-Life Chairman Tom Clark at tjclark123@gmail.com FINISH LINE 6

7 PRO-LIFE IN TEXAS Greenville Knights Complete Sonogram Initiative Equip Three Pregnancy Centers in Two Counties GREENVILLE #7438: Officers of the Greenville Council #7438 and Greenville Assembly #219 met with board members of the Raffa Clinic located in Greenville, Texas at the conclusion of their joint venture project to purchase two sonogram machines for the two Raffa Pregnancy Clinics in Hunt County; one for the clinic in Greenville and one for the clinic in Commerce. Under the leadership of Past Grand Knight Tony Huerta who is also a Past Faithful Navigator of the Greenville Assembly, Huerta initiated a proposal in early 2012 to the respective memberships of the council and the assembly to conduct a pro-life fund raising project for the local Raffa Clinic in Greenville. The clinic, having recently experienced the pull-out of a major financial sponsor, and knowing the local Knights of Columbus council were a very active pro-life group in the community, approached Huerta and asked if the council could possibly assist the clinic with their new financial dilemma. Actually, it didn t take much convincing, said Huerta. Everyone was immediately on board and felt this was an opportunity for the Knights to show that their money was where their mouth was. It was a very proud moment for me. In the Spring of 2012, with a plan in place, the council and assembly hosted their first fund-raiser for the clinic by hosting a silent auction at the council hall. This was accompanied by several children s activities, including a bounce house, with food and live entertainment made available GREENVILLE #7438: Officers of Greenville Council #7438 and Greenville Assembly #2139 posed for a picture with the staff and board members of the Raffa Pregnancy Clinic in Greenville at the conclusion of their efforts to purchase two sonogram machines under the Supreme Council s Sonogram Initiative. (Sitting from left) Raffa Clinic Executive Director Threesa Sadler, Raffa Clinic Assistant Director Jane Cantrell; (Standing from left) Raffa Board Member Joe Davenport, Raffa Board Member Tim Stainback, Council Member Joe Walker, Raffa Board Member Dale Money, Council Chaplain Father Loyd Morris, PGK/PFN Ron Pinkston, PGK/PFN Bobb Mahrer, Council Grand Knight Bert White, Amber Frodl (Tony Huerta s daughter), Raffa Board Member Jeff Phillips, PGK/PFN Tony Huerta, and PGK/PFN Ray Murphy. throughout the day on a Saturday in May. The results were an amazing $25,000. Using the success of this project as the motivation for a second project to assist the clinic, Huerta says that the membership of the council and assembly, locally known as the Greenville Knights, overwhelmingly responded to the clinic s request to replace their old and aging sonogram machine. By January of 2013, a plan was initiated to replace not only the sonogram machine at the clinic in Greenville, but to also replace the small second-hand sonogram machine, the type used in ambulances and Care Flight helicopters, at the sister clinic in nearby Commerce. In the beginning, the plan was basically to duplicate the previous fund-raiser event, but on a grander scale. And that is when some additional good ideas began FINISH LINE 7

8 rolling in. How about expanding the children s activities? How about making it a day for the whole family? How about soliciting some high dollar items for the silent auction? Items like attractive electronic devices and get-away weekend packages. And how about a 5K nature walk to raise additional funds, an offer made by the superintendent of the Boles ISD, a faith-based school district just south of Greenville. And how about a full-blitz media campaign, including radio, cablevision, and newspaper, to make the community aware of the project? All of these ideas were implemented, and by the end of the day on May 19, 2013, after all the proceeds were counted, the Greenville Knights had raised $39,200. With a double match from the Supreme Council, one for the council and one for the assembly, the Greenville Knights had enough funds to purchase two new sonogram machines for the two clinics located at Greenville and Commerce. On the day of arrival, the two sonogram machines were delivered by the technician from Innovative Imaging Technology of Waco, Texas. James Scheffler, the technician from Innovative Imaging, and a fourth degree Knight from Temple Council #3444 delivered, unpacked, set up, and provided the training for the new units. On the very day that Scheffler was setting up the new unit at the clinic in Greenville, a desperate call from the Sulphur Springs clinic in neighboring Hopkins County asked if they could have the old unit from the Greenville clinic. They explained that their sonogram machine had just seen its last day when smoke emanated from it when they turned it on. Naturally, they were very grateful that they could continue their clinic operations without interruption, especially since they did not have the funds for another unit. Upon completion of the installation of the sonogram machine at the Raffa clinic in Commerce, Scheffler asked if the clinic would be willing to donate the old unit to Imaging Technology so that they could refurbish it and send it to Africa for use by the Catholic missionaries there. It is very gratifying to know that our efforts in Greenville are having a doubling effect not only in our own rural community, but also in the neighboring community of Sulphur Springs, and on the continent of Africa, said Bobb Mahrer, Past Grand Knight and Past Faithful Navigator of the Greenville Knights. It was also gratifying to learn that a fellow Knight from Salato, Texas also helped us complete our mission. By the way, Mahrer adds, the Women s Guild of St. William Catholic Church in Greenville provides one of their members, an RN who is a certified sonogram technician, free of charge to the clinics in Greenville and Commerce. The Greenville Knights of Columbus service their home parish of St. William Catholic Church in Greenville as well as St. Joseph Catholic Church in nearby Commerce and the mission parish of Our Lady of Fatima in nearby Quinlan. More About the Company Innovative Imaging Technology Focused On The Beat of a New Heart Sir Knight Jim Scheffler Owner of Innovative Imaging Innovative Imaging Technology (ITT) was formed about 20 years ago by Sir Knight Jim Scheffler of Salato, Texas where his company is based. He is a member of Temple Council #3444 and recently completed his Fourth Degree. He offers sales of ultrasound machines,. grants, consultation, on-site nurse training for pregnancy centers, and education designed to train and prepare medical professionals that service the life-affirming industry of Pregnancy Medical Clinics and provide limited OB ultrasound or sonography services throughout the United States and internationally. He also accepts older units and refurbishes them and sends them to Honduras, Costa Rica, and Africa. As a Catholic, Scheffler believes in the sanctity of human life, born or unborn, to the extent that he will not knowingly sell to those who do not believe LIFE begins at conception. On the lower center of ITT s home page located at innovativeimagingtechnology.com you will find the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative mentioned. FINISH LINE 8

9 Promote Patriotism Knights Raise Flag BURKBURNETT: Council members Dave Poole, Charles Cunningham, and John Demel and other members of Burkburnett Council 7371 raised a flag and then lowered it to half mast on September 11th with the help of the Sheppard Air Force Base Honor Guard from Wichita Falls (in the Fort Worth Diocese) that was led by council Chancellor TSgt David Campbell. (provided by council Advocate Jesse Doria) DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE October 7, 2013 Send submissions to Mark Johnson, Editor in Word format to mjohnson@creatdev.com The Hike for Life 2013 in the Dallas area will take place on several dates. Look for your favorite site and place the date on your calendar. September 28 Dallas Flag Pole Hill, Plano - JPII Waxahachie October 5 Garland McKinney Irving October 12 Richardson Dallas Bachman Lake (Asian H4L) October 19 Rowlett Get registered today and start getting sponsors. Go to FINISH LINE 9

10 OCTOBER 2013 REMINDERS q October 1-31, October BLITZ The BLITZ! remains a popular recruitment program. It is a coordinated effort meant to maximize the effectiveness of your council s membership team s efforts by canvassing an entire local parish on one weekend during October and then conducting a First Degree. The five phases to conducting a recruitment Blitz program are: Phase 1: The Preparation Phase: This phase begins with obtaining the pastor s permission to conduct a BLITZ at the church during a specific weekend and get the event advertised in bulletin. The next step is to order recruitment materials from the Supreme Council Supply Department. Then begin lining up members to assist with the Blitz, including the insurance representatives. Phase 2: The Execution Phase: Arrange for a membership recruitment announcement to be made during Mass. Set up information tables at the door of the church and have plenty of prospect cards. Have plenty of council members on hand. Phase 3: The Follow-Up Phase: Follow up with the prospects and let them know about the planned informational seminar. Make sure to provide them with the date, and time, and place, and make sure to invite the entire family. Offer transportation if necessary Phase 4: The Orientation Phase: Have plenty of recruitment and informational brochures available for the prospects and their families at the informational seminar. Consider showing a recruitment video. Offer and get a Form #100 signed by the prospect. Have the council Chaplain present. Inform the prospect of the next First Degree. Offer some refreshments. Phase 5: The First Degree: Schedule a First Degree no more than two weeks after the informational seminar. Be sure to provide the prospects with a reminder. Learn the prospect s area of interest and begin getting him involved as soon as possible. The Power of One q October 6, Life Chain Sunday and Respect Life Sunday Life Chain Sunday was started in 1987 by a small ministry in Yuba City, California. Since then, the Life Chain movement has spread throughout the United States and Canada, with tens of thousands of participants each year. Their mission statement calls upon people to pray for the safety of women in crisis pregnancies and their unborn children. They urge the general public to embrace the sanctity of human life and oppose the exploitation of women through abortion, Life Chain FINISH LINE 10

11 OCTOBER 2013 REMINDERS continued offering Jesus Christ, as the true source of help, healing and forgiveness to victims of abortion. (note that the council s participation in Life Chain Sunday qualifies as a Pro-Life activity for the Columbian Award and as an individual s criteria for the State Council s Wings Award). q October 10, Supreme Per Capita is Due Councils are required to pay their semi-annually assessed Per Capita which was billed on July 1st to the Supreme Council office by October 10th. Failure to pay the per capita by this deadline will result in an automatic suspension by the Supreme Council which also includes the suspension of the benefits provided to each individual member received from the Supreme Council. Paying the per capita will automatically remove the local council from suspension and reinstate all benefits to the members. This criteria must be met on time for a council to remain qualified for the Star Council Award. Checks should be mailed to Knights of Columbus, ATTN: Council Accounts, P. O. Box 1480, New Haven, CT q October 10, Supreme Council Catholic Advertising Fee Councils are required to pay their semi-annually assessed Catholic Advertising Fee to the Supreme Council office by October 1st in order to remain qualified for the Star Council Award. Happy Columbus Day q October 12, Columbus Day Celebrated this year on October 14th as a Federal Holiday, October 12th is the original designated Columbus Day. Plan a special recruitment drive and First Degree, a Clergy Appreciation Dinner, or a public relations event that brings the community s attention to the many significant and important contributions made by the Knights of Columbus. q October 14, Football Frenzy Sweepstakes Each council was issued a packet of football sweepstakes coupons during the state convention. Each council was asked to sell the coupons ($10 each) in an effort to offset any future possible increase in state per capita. The proceeds are used to support the general operations of the state council. To be eligible, all entries must be completed by midnight of October 14, 2013 which is two weeks prior to the first game on the schedule. The cash prizes total $1,000 each week for ten weeks beginning October 27, Every council who participates will earn a direct $1 credit for every coupon sold against their July 1, 2014 state per capital billings. Additional coupons are still available for first time sales or if councils need additional coupons. District Deputies are asked to remind councils to start sending in the their sold coupons now and not wait until the deadline of October 14, Additional information is available at the Football Frenzy icon on the State Council website at or contact State Football Sweepstakes Chairman Dennis Stark at (cell) or via at ddstark@sbcglobal.net q October 15, Family of the Month Form (1993A) Due Form 1993A is due to the Supreme Council office by the 15th of the month for the immediate past month. Two families are selected from each jurisdiction each FINISH LINE 11

12 OCTOBER 2013 REMINDERS continued month to represent the Supreme Council and those families receive a small statue of the Holy Family in recognition of their selection. Participation in the Family-ofthe-Month will count for one of the requirements of the Youth Activities section of the Columbian Award. A council that participates at least eight times in a timely manner during the fraternal year will be recognized with a special certificate from the State Council. The Family of the Month for September is due NOW. Plan now for a First Degree Oct Columbus Day!!! Nov Family Week!!! Dec Keep Christ in Christmas Month!!! 100,000 MEMBERS Texas is now the largest jurisdiction in the America s Congratulations to our 99,500th Member Candelario Mosqueda of Katy Council #6878 Pope Francis often says that true power is service. FINISH LINE 12

13 Pro Football is Back in Texas The Football Frenzy Pro 4 Team Sweepstakes for the Texas State Council Knights of Columbus will begin on October 27, Return to the NFL: Yes, we have gone back to using the NFL teams for our Football Sweepstakes Program. I asked the question, and most of the District Deputies and Grand Knights I talked to wanted the Pros back. The NFL has started its season with the draft and putting the teams together. We need to do the same. We KICKED OFF this season by beginning the distribution of the tickets at the State Convention last month. Those Grand Knights and delegates that took their tickets should start now to put THEIR team together to handle the sale within their councils. Last Year s Awards: At the state convention, we recognized the councils that sold the most tickets, earned the most profit, and the top Diocesan and District Deputies. However, we should not forget the councils that participated for the first time as well as those that may not have sold the most, but made efforts to increase their sales from the prior year. To these councils, we thank you whole heartedly! The GOAL, of course, is to get all councils active in this extremely important fund raiser! The Good News: Going back to the NFL teams means we have a longer selling season. Tickets are due back to us no later than October 14th. You might want to mark your calendars to start gathering up the stubs and left over tickets around October 1st. The Bottom Line: The budget passed by the delegates at the convention placed our GOAL LINE at the 16,000 ticket yard line. Please help us get the ball over the line this year. Participation in the 2013 Football Sweepstakes makes us all winners! The State Council benefits from funds raised by your sold tickets. Your council benefits by a per capita savings of $1 per ticket sold. AND, we won t have to raise the per capita rate on our membership, thus, causing dues to go up! Weekly Total Prizes = $1,000 Each week, for 10 weeks, $1,000 in cash prizes will be given away. There are 9 prizes given away each week for the Highest and Lowest scores. All prizes are paid out each week. High Scores Place Prize 1st $400 2nd $200 3rd $100 4th $80 5th $60 6th $40 7th $20 Low Scores Place Prize 1st $60 2nd $40 RULES OF THE GAME You buy tickets. You sell tickets to everyone you meet at any opportunity! You send the sold ticket stubs, unsold tickets, and money in to Dennis Stark, Football Central, 5513 Oak Top Drive, Colleyville, TX You go to Greenbeesavingsclub.com, register your ticket and begin saving money! Purchase greatly discounted restaurant coupons and enjoy dining while saving money. Yes, it works. (Look for tips in an upcoming article.) The game cards start October 27 and includes the last 10 games of the regular season. All you have to do then is watch and have fun tallying your team s scores. You may be a winner again! Check the tkofc website for official rules FINISH LINE 13

14 NOVEMBER 2013 REMINDERS q November 1, All Saints Day Remember our deceased brother Knights with a special prayer service or memorial mass during November. q November 1, Free-Throw Contest Kit Order Form Councils must submit their order for the Free-Throw Contest Kit from the Supreme Council supply department no later than November 1 st. Note that this event may be reported in the Youth Activities section of the Columbian Award application. q November 2, All Souls Day CATHOLIC q November 5, Local Elections Election day in the United States is always on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. VOTE CATHOLIC! q November 11, Veterans Day World War I, known at the time as The Great War, came to an end when an armistice, an end to the hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany, went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of On November 11, 1919, President Wilson proclaimed this day as the first comemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with the solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country s service and with gratitude for victory In 1954, Congress passed a bill that was signed by President Eisenhower proclaiming this day as Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor America s veterans for their Patriotism. Councils hosting a patriotic community event may report the event in the Community Activities section of the Columbian Award application. q November 15, America Recycles Day Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day (ARD). More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling programs in the United States. Through ARD, Keep America Beautiful, and Keep Texas Beautiful, in partnership with the State of Texas Alliance of Recycling, organizations like the Knights of Columbus are able to inform, educate, and support their local communities. Plan a community activity that may be reported in the Community Activities section of the Columbian Award application. FINISH LINE 14

15 NOVEMBER 2013 REMINDERS continued q November 15, Family of the Month (Form 1993A) Due Form 1993A is due to the Supreme Council office by the 15th of the month for the immediate past month. Two families are selected from each jurisdiction each month to represent the Supreme Council and those families receive a small statue of the Holy Family in recognition of their selection. Participation in the Family-ofthe-Month will count for one of the requirements of the Youth Activities section of the Columbian Award. A council that participates at least eight times in a timely manner during the fraternal year will be recognized with a special certificate from the State Council. The Family of the Month for October is due NOW. q November 24 30, National Family Week National Family Week in the United States takes place during the week of Thanksgiving and was first proclaimed by Ronald Reagan on November 19, The main purpose for the observation is to celebrate the contribution that families make to the fabric of American society, and second to distribute resources to the needy. Plan a family activity event that may be reported in the Family Activities section of the Columbian Award application. q November 28, Thanksgiving Day Plan a community activity, such as a soup kitchen for the unfortunate and needy, that may be reported in the Community Activities section of the Columbian Award application. 53rd Running of the Silver Rose q November 3, Transfer of Silver Rose from OK to Texas The transfer of the Silver Rose from Oklahoma to Texas is scheduled to occur on November 3rd. The Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose Program began in 1960 as a project of the Columbian Squires of North America to honor the Blessed Virgin under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. The program has continued since then as a project of Squires Circles, Councils, and Assemblies. In 2001 Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson expanded the program by beginning the Running of the Silver Rose from the 119th Annual meeting of the Supreme Council in Ontario, Canada to Monterrey, Mexico through the United States. The Running of the Silver Rose is a perfect program for the Knights of Columbus, said Supreme Knight Anderson. Through it we honor not only Our Lady of Guadalupe and express the Unity of the Order, but we also reaffirm the Order s dedication to the sanctity of human life. It is to the Blessed Mother that we turn in prayer as we work to end the Culture of Death that grips our society. As we think in terms of One Life, One Rose, it is most appropriate we turn to our Lady of Guadalupe who made known her will through Juan Diego and the miracle of the roses. The Silver Rose program features a sculpted silver rose carried by Knights from Canada through the United States to Mexico, bringing he Culture of Life message on its journey. The silver rose is received by councils and parishes along its journey, and Masses and prayer services are offered. Special border ceremonies with the Fourth Degree Honor Guards are held the rose is transferred from one state to another and one country to another. Silver Rose The transfer of the Silver Rose (La Rosa Plata) from Texas to Oklahoma during the 53rd Running will take place in November. Last year s route took Hwy 77 south from Marietta OK to Gainsville TX with a special mass at St. Mary s Catholic Church in Gainsville, TX. FINISH LINE 15

16 q December 1, Order Membership Cards Financial Secretaries and Comptrollers are reminded that it is time to order Membership Cards for Year 2013 from the Supreme Council Supplies Department. q December 6-7-8, 2013 Mid-Year Meeting The Mid-Year meeting for all District and Diocesan Deputies will be held the weekend of December at the Omni Houston Westside Hotel. q December 1, Advent Begins December 1st is the First Sunday of Advent, signifying the beginning of Advent. All Catholics are encouraged to set an Advent Wreath in their homes. Councils, assemblies, and circles are encouraged to have a ceremony with the blessing of an Advent Wreath by their chaplain and the lighting of its candles. q December 3, Light Up for Christ The Supreme Council has designated the first Tuesday of December of each year as the day for Light Up For Christ. On this day, councils and assemblies and circles are invited to turn on a switch and light a Nativity scene, and/or Christmas Tree at 8:00 pm local time. A Lights Up for Christ poster (#2757) is available from the Supreme Council Supply Department. q December 7, Pearl Harbor Day Plan a patriotic community activity that may be reported in the Community Activities section of the Columbian Award application. q December 12, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Plan a pro-life activity in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn, and report it in the Pro-Life Activities section of the Columbian Award application. q December 15, Family of the Month (Form 1993A) Due The Grand Knight of each council should appoint a Family Activities Chairman and Select a Family of the Month each month. Form 1993A is due to the Supreme Council office by the 15th of the month for the immediate past month. Two families are selected from each jurisdiction each month to represent the Supreme Council and those families Receive a small statue of the Holy Family in recognition of their selection. Participation in the Family-of-the-Month will count for one of the requirements of the Youth Activities section of the Columbian Award. A council that participates at least eight times in a timely manner during the fraternal year will be recognized with a special certificate from the State Council. The Family of the Month for November is due NOW. FINISH LINE 16

17 DECEMBER 2013 REMINDERS continued q December 25, Keep Christ in Christmas Plan a church, community, family, or youth activity that may be reported in the appropriate section of Columbian Award application. q December 31, State Council Charity Goal is Due (Early Date Grand Knights needs to make sure their council s Charity Goal to the Texas State Charities is paid by December 31st (early deadline) in order to qualify for the prestigious Lone Star Award with Distinction from the Texas State Council. q December 31, State Council Per Capita is Due (Early Date) Grand Knights need to make sure their council s State Per Capita assessment is paid by December 31st (early deadline) in order to qualify for the prestigious Lone Star Award for Excellence and the Lone Star Award for Excellence with Distinction. PER CAPITA JANUARY 2014 REMINDERS q January 1-31, 2014 Council Free-Throw Contests Councils are encouraged to participate in the Supreme Council sponsored Youth Basketball Free-Throw Contest and to schedule their local council contests during the month of January. The contest is for boys and girls ages as of January 1st. Councils should verify ages via a copy of a birth certificate at the time of acceptance of the parent consent form. Councils must also be current with their State Per Capita in order for contestants representing their council to be eligible at the district, diocesan, and state level contests. The State contest will be held at Antonian High School in San Antonio on March 1, Contact Texas State Council Free-Throw Chairman Carl Bernal in San Antonio at (cell) or at chbernsyc@yahoo.com for more information. VOCATIONS q January 12-18, 2014 National Vocations Awareness Week National Vocations Awareness Week is an opportunity to promote awareness of the need for more priests. The Catholic Church invites us to reflect on Jesus mission as our own calling and to pray for all vocations. Ten Things You Can Do To Support Vocations may be found at Parish.htm. (note that ideas for Church Activities may be found in the Surge With Service booklet and note how they may be reported in the Church Activities section of the Columbian Award application.) FINISH LINE 17

18 STAR COUNCIL Checklist FORM REPORT DUE DATE COMPLETE 185 Report of Officers JUL 01 P 365 REPORT OF PROGRAM PERSONNEL* AUG 01 P 1295 Semi-Annual Audit (ending Jun 30) AUG 15 P SUPREME PER CAPITA* OCT 10 SUPREME CATHOLIC ADVERTISING* OCT 10 FT-Kit Supreme Basketball Free Throw Kit NOV 01 State Per Capita (LSAFE w/distinction) DEC 31 State Charities (LSAFE w/distinction) DEC ANNUAL FRATERNAL SURVEY* JAN Partnership Profile Special Olympics Report JAN Semi-Annual Audit (ending Dec 31) FEB 15 State Per Capita (LSAFE) MAR 01 State Educational Grant Application MAR 01 State Programs Award Entries MAR 01 State Family of the Year Entry MAR 01 SUPREME PER CAPITA* APR 10 SUPREME CATHOLIC ADVERTISING* APR 10 SP7 COLUMBIAN AWARD APPLICATION* JUN 30 State Charities (LSAFE) JUN 30 MEMBERSHIP GAIN (7%, minimum of 3)* JUN 30 INSURANCE GAIN (3%, minimum of 3)* JUN RSVP Application JUN 30 *Star Council Award requirement LSAFE Lone Star Award for Excellence requirement FINISH LINE 18

19 MARKET PLACE Donate Now Texas State Charities Texas State Charities has an online donation page on the state council s website to assist generous Knights and others with a paper trail to support individual income tax deductions for donations made to six separate charitable projects. Select the Donate Now button on the main page and you will be linked to a special page with details on each of the six charity projects (1) Bishops Fund; (2) Disaster Relief; (3) Texas Special Olympics; (4) American Wheelchair Mission; (5) Wounded Warrior Project; (6) Frontline Faith Project; (7) West Disaster Relief Fund, (8) Granbury Disaster Relief Fund; and (9) Cardinal Medeiros Fund. Donations may be made by VISA or MASTERCARD to one or more of these state sponsored charity projects with the donor receiving a receipt by return . Texas State Council Charities, Inc, is qualified under the United States Internal Revenue Code as a section 501(c)(3) charity. Donations to it and projects funded through it are tax deductible to the extent allowed by federal law. Bishop s Fund Special Olympics Wounded Warrior West Relief Fund Disaster Relief Wheelchair Mission Frontline Faith Granbury Relief Fund Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Cardinal Medeiros Fund Send donations to: Texas State Council Charities Knights of Columbus 6633 Highway 290 East, Suite 204 Austin, TX ATTN: (Specify Fund) FINISH LINE 19

20 MARKET PLACE K of C Insurance John Regan, General Agent John F Regan, CFP, ChFC, CLU & FIC Texas State Council Insurance Liason General Agent Knights of Columbus Insurance 610 Coit Rd, Ste 100 Plano, TX Ofc EFax John.Regan@KofC.org Now at 909 FINISH LINE 20

21 MARKET PLACE Mark Johnson, Editor Mark Johnson, Website Master Visit us at Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Venerable Fr. Michael J. McGivney Aug 12, 1852 Aug 14, 1890 Founder of the Knights of Columbus like us on OUR NUMBERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE Year 2012 sets new records for Charitable giving VOLUNTER SERVICE More than $1.475 billion in charitable contributions and over 673 million volunteer hours have been provided in the last 10 Years CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS 70.1 MILLION HOURS $167 MILLION DOLLARS FINISH LINE 21

22 MARKET PLACE Texas State Charities Donations of $20.00 or higher will be recognized with a State Charities Pin. Make check payable to Texas State Council Charities. Texas State Council Charities 6633 Highway 290 East, Suite 204 Austin, TX Name: Council No. Address: City, State, Zip: Telephone: ( ) - Amount Enclosed $ Presented (Y/N) Mark Johnson, Editor Send articles and photos to: Find An Agent Join The Guild Fr. Michael J. McGivney Guild Editor, Texas Knight 707 Harbor Drive Georgetown, TX mark.johnson@texasknight-news Published 3 times annually KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS C E L E B R A T I N G 131 YEARS OF FAITH IN ACTION Texas State Council Wheelchair Chairman Sam Szalwinski samkc@sbcglobal.net FINISH LINE 22

23 MARKET PLACE Texas State Council Knights of Columbus Contact Duchess Collins at: where good guys wear black Charity, Unity, Fraternity, Patriotism The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas For information on the exciting life of the priesthood, please contact the Vocations Office at KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS C E L E B R A T I N G 131 YEARS OF FAITH IN ACTION Send submissions to Bobb Mahrer, Editor r-mahrer@geusnet.com FINISH LINE 23