Knights of Columbus January 2018 The Knight Cap Knights of Columbus Council 7624 St. Rita Catholic Church Rockford, Illinois St. Rita Council 7624 hit the ground running in December. We began with the lighting and blessing of the St. Rita Nativity scene on December 2 nd. The very next day, on December 3 rd, we held our Christmas with Santa, Christmas breakfast, staring Those Little People. We rounded out the year with the Savant Valet Parking event. Thank you to all the knights and their families who came out to help with an event in 2017. The Christmas Breakfast began with a blessing of the kitchen crew and volunteers by our new Parochial Vicar, Reverend Adrian Ladines. There was a feast of pancakes and egg casserole for all. Those Little People were with us again this year to perform for the children (and adult kids as well). Their faces lit up when Santa began handing out presents. There were plenty for all the girls and boys. Can you guess who Santa was this year?
Council 7624 Officers From the Helm Chaplin Rev. John Evans, PGK Grand Knight George Lamoureux Deputy Grand Knight Bill Osborne Chancellor Brian Soltys Recorder Robert Collins Financial Secretary Tom Clausen, PGK Treasurer Dan Campbell, PGK Lecturer Dcn. John Huntley Advocate Ken Mattson, PGK Warden Mike Ruzevich Inside Guard David Haskell Outside Guard Jim Novak Trustees Craig Stear, PGK Andy Schachtner, PGK John Logli, PGK Dear Brother Knights, I hope everyone had a very blessed Christmas with family and friends, and that we all kept Christ and Mass in our Christmas. The New Year is upon us and I wanted to wish you, your families, and your loved ones a Happy 2018 New Year from Pegi and me. Pay close attention to all of the programs we have on the calendar page of this newsletter. What a great upcoming three months to volunteer and participate in taking down the Nativity, shooting hoops, swimming with the family, attending a great night of food, dance, and prizes, watching or participating in the Polar Plunge, or attending a Council, District, or Chapter meeting. Call Program Director Bill Osborne or myself to sign up for any of these great events. Fraternally, George Lamoureux Grand Knight 2017-2018 2 St. Rita Council 7624 January 2018
Chaplin s Corner Community Director St. Rita s welcomes a new Parochial Vicar, Rev. Adrian Ladines. Father Adrian comes to us from the Philippines where he leaves behind his father, a sister, and five dogs. He was ordained on his birthday on December 6, 2008 at Louis Bishop Parish, Philippines and belongs to the Blessed Sacrament Fathers, an international congregation founded by St. Peter Julian Eymard on May 13, 1856. He did a year of mission work in Africa before coming to us at St. Rita. Father Adrian loves to play table tennis and volleyball. He is a First Degree Knight, taking his Admissions Degree with the Blessed Sacrament Council 14151 in Tacloban City, Philippines. Maligayang pagdating Father Adrian! As we begin a new year and the second half of our fraternal year let us, as a council, give thanks to our bread runners and to everyone in our council who unselfishly gives time and talent to our Church and community. Let us look for ways we can further serve our Church and our community throughout the coming year. Thank you for all you do! Ed McMahon, PGK Community Director 2017-2018 Financial Secretary Over the last ten years, the Knights of Columbus donated more than $1.5 billion to charitable and benevolent causes and more than 682 million hours of volunteer community service to aid the less fortunate. Help us to prepare our Fraternal Survey for the Supreme Council office. Recently, we sent out the survey. If you did not receive one, please contact Tom Clausen at 815-751-3810. Please complete the survey by January 15th so I can submit to Supreme office. This information will assist us in determining the total number of hours of community service volunteered by our members. Tom Clausen, PGK Financial Secretary 2017 2018 3 St. Rita Council 7624 January 2018
Pro-Life 4 th Degree News My three year old granddaughter, Mayleah, and I have a standing once-a-week breakfast date. I pick her up and she picks the place. That place is always Denny s. Earlier in the month of December we went to breakfast at Denny s, sat, talked, and ate. I struck up a short conversation with an elderly lady sitting by herself. It was simple and cordial small talk. As we left the table to pay our bill the lady said good-bye to Mayleah. Mayleah, who normally would have just waived and left, went over to this elderly lady and gave her a hug. She was not prompted by me, nor was she called over by the lady. She did it on her own. The elderly lady squeezed Mayleah in what can only be described as a BIG HUG, and tears came rolling down her face. I was in awe. I told Mayleah s mom, my daughter Paige, what I had witnessed. Paige asked Mayleah about her experience with the woman. Mayleah said, The lady seemed sad and I wanted her to be happy. I believe I witnessed a gift from God working through my granddaughter and demonstrated to me what it truly means to be prolife. January 16, 2018 will be the next 4 th Degree Assembly meeting. It will be hosted by St. Rita Council 7624 and will be held at Lino s Restaurant in Rockford. Social hour will begin at 6:30pm with dinner being served at 7:00pm. Please see the Assembly newsletter or contact Brothers John Mann, PGK, PFN, or Jim Watson, PGK. A special thank you to all of the members from Council 7624 who serve in the Honor Guard. Please watch for the up and coming Honor Guard schedule that will be posted in the 4 th Degree newsletter. Thank you! Jim Watson, PGK Captain, 4 th Degree 2017 2018 Compassion, respect, and love. Again this month, pilgrims will meet in Washington, D.C. to peacefully march for life. Since 1973, pro-life supporters have rallied on the Washington Mall to speak in one voice for life, from conception to natural death. Let us ask our Holy Mother for her continued intercession to end the tragedy of abortion and for the safety of the pilgrims during their journey to be part of the March of Life. Dan Campbell, PGK Pro-life Director 2017-2018 Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 1:00PM St. Rita School Gym Most baskets made out of fifteen attempts wins each age bracket. After the completion the Knights will shoot among themselves to see who can claim the title of King of the Court 2018! Come and join the fun! 4 St. Rita Council 7624 January 2018
District Deputy Knight of the Month Dear Brothers of Council 7624, Hearty best wishes for 2018!!! While the New Year is a start of new adventures for many, the Knights of Columbus are no exception. This is the time of year where councils need to look at their fraternal year progress and work to address those areas where challenges remain. Further, I would encourage all council members to again reflect over the 2017 calendar year period and note those occasions where you provided some service or monetary contributions with or without family members, other Knights, or just people in the community. Please get these service hours/dollar contributions to your council leadership as soon as possible to enable timely submission of the Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (Form #1728) and Partnership Profile Report with Special Olympics (Form #4584) by January 31st. These hours and monetary donations are compiled with those of all the other councils to enable Supreme to make their required reports to the U.S. Government. It is important we provide the most accurate numbers possible. I look forward to seeing in 2018. Fraternally yours, Bob Tetzloff, DD 48 The Knight of the Month goes to a Knight who just joined us in the Knighthood Degree on November 19 th. He jumped right into council activities by working the Christmas Breakfast on December 3 rd. Troy Volanti is our December Knight of the Month. Congratulations Brother Troy! Family of the Month The Family of the Month also goes to a Knight who just joined us in November. Brother Tom Faleo and his wife Vicki have been helping the council with activities even before Tom officially became a Knight. Family of the Month goes to Tom and Vicki Faleo. Congratulations! Membership by the Numbers 140 Associate Members 72 Insurance Members 2 Inactive Members 8 Honorary Members 30 Honorary Life Members 2 Disabled Members 219 Total Members
Celebrating Birthdays IN NEED OF PRAYER 1/1 Gary Heidenreich 1/6 James Watson 1/7 Michael Montalbano 1/7 Ryan Pennington 1/10 Duane Hinkel 1/12 Thomas Clausen 1/15 Robert Dwan 1/16 Richard Mimier 1/18 James Lee 1/20 Patrick Bushaw 1/25 Donald McNeil 1/28 Christopher Martensen 1/30 Charles Carter 1/30 Charles Oehler Happy Birthday January Knights Please remember these Knights, their families, and friends in need of our prayers. Especially - Msgr. Kobbeman, Debbie McNamara, Jim and Dixie Blazier, the Blazier children and their families, the Berryhill children and their families, Glenda Mundis, Shirley Collins, Richard Vale, Brice Soltys, Colleen Bill, Larry Peters, Clarise McGinn, Margaret Hasenyager, Steve Osborne, the Kujawa family, Richard Buske, Walt Schaecher, and Father Evans private intentions. Chris Martensen s chip was pulled for the Attendance Award for the month of December. Chris was not present to win. Fraternal Year Charitable Goals ID Drive Vocations $4,100 $839 Fraternal Order Quiz Pro-life Newman $193 $435 $747 Current Short Q: What Councils make up District 48? A: St. Rita, St. James, St. Bridget, Holy Family GAF $534 Winner: Andy Schachtner Brother Andy won a Knights of Columbus Christmas Ornament. Congratulations Andy! 6 St. Rita Council 7624 January 2018
Community Thank you to all the Knights December 10, 2017 St. Rita Council 7624 was once again fortunate to have this great fund raiser of acting as valet drivers for the annual Savant Christmas party held at the Rockford Country Club. Mild weather brought the largest response in event history with over one-thousand RSVPs. All keys and cars were accounted for and we had an empty lot at the end of the day. who were in attendance, especially Jim and Lelia Novak, Rick Novak, Adam Wykes, Ken Mattson, Tom Clausen, Pat Powers, Mark McNamara, Benny Garbacz, Mike Hakanson, Matt Eshleman, and Jason Sturges. Thank you to Jim Watson for chairing this great event. After the event finished everyone gathered at Stumpy s Pub where Brother Knight Pat Wihelmi donated pizzas to feed the hungry crew. Thanks Pat! 7 St. Rita Council 7624 January 2018
UPCOMING EVENTS NATIVITY TEARDOWN January 13, 2018 at 9:00am SECOND ANNUAL Come help tear down the Nativity scene and put Camel Joe away for the year. Tickets on sale on the weekends of January 20 th, 27 th and February 3 rd. Dinner - Dancing - King Cake February 18, 2018 Dolphin Swim Club 6501 Rock Valley Pkwy Loves Park, IL 6111 FAMILY SWIM NIGHT Special Olympics Polar Plunge March 3, 2018 Free Swim $10 good will donation for food per family 8 St. Rita Council 7624 January 2018
JANUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS FEBRUARY MARCH 1 New Year s Day 4 Council Business Meeting - 7:00 pm Rosary - 7:15 pm Meeting Start 7 District Meeting at St. Bridget 13 Nativity Tear-down -9:00am 19 March for Life Washington D.C. 20-21 Sale of Mardi Gras Tickets 21 Council Free Throw Competition 24 Chapter Meeting 25 Officer & Director Meeting 27-28 Sale of Mardi Gras Tickets 1 Council Business Meeting - 7:00 pm Rosary - 7:15 pm Meeting Start 10 Maris Gras Dinner and Dance 14 Ash Wednesday 18 First Sunday of Lent 18 Swim Night at Dolphin Swim Club 25 Second Sunday of Lent 1 Council Business Meeting - 7:00 pm Rosary - 7:15 pm Meeting Start 3 Polar Plunge 4 Third Sunday of Lent 11 Fourth Sunday of Lent 18 Fifth Sunday of Lent 18 Palm Sunday 25 Easter Egg Scramble St. Rita Knights of Columbus Council 7624 6254 Valley Knoll Drive Rockford, Illinois 61109 Return Service Requested Knights of Columbus Council 7624 St. Rita Catholic Church Rockford, Illinois