Page 1 of 9 Message from the Grand Knight: Brothers, The goals that we set for ourselves when we put forth our vision a year and a half ago were to reinvigorate the council s current members and hopefully attract new members. We wanted the membership experience to be more rewarding, fulfilling and attentive to the members wants and needs. The good news is we are making progress. Through the efforts of Brothers Ron Matviya and Vince Plocido, former and current membership directors respectively, 15 new members have entered the order through our council. These numbers have qualified us for the Father McGivney Award for both last year and this current fraternal year, a prerequisite for The Star Council award which we received this last year and hope to receive this year. We have a comprehensive slate of service projects and are looking for additional ways we can contribute to the Parish and community. Over the last three years we have added movie night and pot luck dinners to address a perceived want for increased social activities. If you have been a dues only member lately, we would love to have you as an active member. Of course, we all have our priorities and they change depending on our own life journeys, but if there is nothing keeping you away, give us a chance to enhance your membership experience. GK Jack Linnane 724-452-7354 or <jlinnane@zoominternet.net> News and Notes: Your 2016 KofC Membership Dues are Due! Thanks to the 64 members who have sent in their dues payment. So far, 82 members have been sent their 2016 KofC Member Card. If you happen to have overlooked sending your payment, please strive to get that in the mail asap. Make the $30 check payable to Fr. Joseph P Newell CO 11838 and mail it to Joel Zygmunt at 109 Crossing Ridge Trl, Cranberry Twp, PA 16066. We have approximately $4,000 in excess treasury funds that we would like to spend by the end of this fiscal year. The spending must be used in support of any of the six Service Categories of the Knights of Columbus (Church, Community, Council, Family, Youth, Culture of Life). Activities that provide visibility to the Knights in the local community or our parish are preferred. If you wish to submit any suggestions for spending these funds, please complete a New Activity/Program Proposal form (attached) and email it to Terry Nicola (tnicola1@zoominternet.net) no later than February 24, 2016. Council polo shirts in a variety of sizes are now available at $20 each. Please stop by one of the meetings or contact an officer if you re interested in purchasing one. The council expects to have new aprons in hand by the time we host the Feb 19 Lenten Fish Fry "Knights to Christ" booklets will be available for review and purchase ($10 each) at an upcoming meeting As mentioned in the previous Newsletter, our six Tootsie Roll Drives at Walmart last year resulted in a $8,039.08 check being sent to the Pittsburgh Bishop's Project which supports those with profound mental and physical disabilities through McGuire Memorial Home and St. Anthony School Programs. Our new season of Tootsie Roll drives kicks off on April 30. Details of the upcoming Tootsie Roll Drives can found below in the On the Agenda section. Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 1 of 9
Page 2 of 9 On the Agenda (please see the full Calendar of Events on the KofC page on St. Ferdinand's website): February 17: COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND LENTEN REFLECTION. The meeting will start immediately following the 7:00 pm Mass. As part of their Lenten Devotions, members are encouraged to attend the 7:00 pm Mass prior to the council meeting. Fr. Andrew will lead us in a Lenten reflection follow the meeting. February 19: KofC FISH FRY at St. Ferdinand Parish. We host the Fish Fry and are in need of every member's help with this project. Dinner preparations begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb 19. Show up time is around 3:15 3:30 pm. The main hustle is from 4:00-7:00 p.m. followed by Hall cleanup till about 8:00 p.m. Then we have Kitchen Cleanup from 7:30-9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb 20. Please advise Brother Mike Egnacheski of your availability: 724-272-1200 or eggy566.me@gmail.com. February 20: 40 Days for Life Vigil March 2: COUNCIL OFFICER MEETING. The meeting will take place at the St. Ferdinand Education Center in Rooms 13-14 starting at 7:30 PM. All members are welcome to attend. March 12-13: Council Membership Recruitment. The Council s Membership Blitz will be held following all Masses at St. Ferdinand Church during weekend of March 12-13. We are asking Brother Knights for a few minutes of their time speak with potential new members and we ll have plenty of materials and brochures available. If you are interested in assisting in this worthy event, please contact either Brother Mike Egnacheski at 724-272-1200 or <eggy566.me@gmail.com>, or Brother Vince Plocido at 724-772-0129 or <vjplocido@gmail.com>. March 13: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME. Ferdinand Church for the 7:00 p.m. recital of the Rosary. March 16: COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP MEETING. The monthly meeting will take place at the St. Ferdinand Education Center in Rooms 13 & 14 starting at 8:00 p.m. All members are invited to come early for recital of the Rosary at 7:30 p.m. Plan to stay for a bit after the meeting to enjoy refreshments and the company of your fellow Knights. March 18: 40 Days for Life Vigil March 25: GOOD FRIDAY. March 27: EASTER SUNDAY. April 2: ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY LITTER PATROL. On Saturday April 2, we ll join with the St. Ferd Men s Club for a new season of cleaning up litter along Rochester Road. We meet at the Complete Chiropractic building (former Penn Telecom), 2710 Rochester Road (next to Devlin Funeral Home) at 8:00 a.m. and typically wrap up by 9:00 a.m. Coffee and Donuts will be provided. Our remaining Adopt-A- Highway dates for the year are being planned for June 25, August 20 and October 25. Contact Brother Vince Plocido at 724-772-0129 or <plocido@zoominternet.net>. April 3: KofC DONUT SUNDAY. We host the St. Ferdinand Parish sponsored Donut Sunday following the 8:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 3, in the Narthex. A handful of Knights will be needed to assist Brother Bob Schreck with this great opportunity to meet and greet parishioners as they grab a donut and some coffee, tea or hot chocolate as they scurry out the door. Contact Brother Bob Schreck at 724-776-2793 or <elvis313@yahoo.com> to let him know you'll lend a hand. April 3: COUNCIL POT LUCK DINNER SOCIAL. Don't miss March 14: LIVING ROSARY. The second Monday of out on this popular Sunday afternoon social for our each month is the Living Rosary sponsored by the Council families. Please join us in the Small Hall Knights. Please join your fellow parishioners at St. (Rooms 13-14) at St. Ferdinand from 4:00-6:00 p.m. for an enjoyable early evening of great food and conversations with our Brother Knights and their Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 2 of 9
Page 3 of 9 families. Contact GK Jack Linnane at 724-452-7354 or <jlinnane@zoominternet.net>. April 3: KofC Western Section Meeting. Hosted by Penn-Allegheny Council 4242, the meeting will take place at St. Joseph School, 825 2nd St, Verona. The purpose of the meeting is to finalize resolutions to be presented at the KofC State Convention as well as elect delegates who will represent the Western Section at the State Convention in May. All 3rd Degree members may attend, but only council appointed delegates may vote. April 6: COUNCIL OFFICER MEETING. St. Ferdinand Education Center in Rooms 13-14 starting at 7:30 PM. April 11: KofC PATRIOTIC ROSARY. This will be our first hosting the recital of the "Patriotic Rosary." It includes the invocation of God's blessing for each state and the singing of a patriotic ballad -- "My Country 'Tis of Thee", "America the Beautiful", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", "The Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" -- following each decade. Please join your fellow parishioners at St. Ferdinand Church for the 7:00 p.m. recital. April 17: KofC SUNDAY PARISH BREAKFAST. The Council will host its semi-annual Parish Breakfast at St. Ferdinand on Sunday, April 17. We cook and serve eggs, frittatas, pancakes, potatoes, ham, sausage and have a lot of fun doing it. Prep work starts at 7:30 a.m. Breakfast is served from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Contact Brother Ray Badzik at 724-772-4454 or <rayjoannbadzik@yahoo.com> to let him know you are available to help. April 18: Bishop's Project Award Dinner. We are again expecting to receive recognition for our ongoing support of this worthy cause (funding for McGuire Memorial and St. Anthony School Programs). We typically seek 2-4 members to represent the Council at the Bishop's Project Award Dinner taking place on April 18. This is where the money raised by our Tootsie Roll drives goes. April 20: COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP MEETING. St. Ferdinand Ed Center in Rooms 13-14, 8:00 p.m., Rosary 7:30 p.m. April 30: TOOTSIE ROLL DRIVE. Our first Tootsie Roll Drive benefiting McGuire Memorial kicks off on Saturday, April 30 at Wal-Mart from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. We continue this activity on June 4, July 9 (this was originally set for July 2), August 6, September 3 and October 1. Don t be bashful about signing up for a two-hour slot as we strive to exceed $8,000 in donations. Contact Brother Jack Linnane at 724-452- 7354 or <jlinnane@zoominternet.net>. May 4: Council Officer Meeting. The meeting will take place at the St. Ferdinand Education Center in Rooms 13-14 starting at 7:30 PM. All members are welcome to attend. May 13-15: KofC State Convention. The Knights of Columbus Pennsylvania State Convention is being held in Erie, PA this year. It is a great opportunity to see what the Pennsylvania Knights are all about -- and you will meet Brother Knights and their wives from across the state. Most of the meeting activity takes place on Saturday, May 14, and there is a ladies program as well. More information is available on the PAKofC.us website or contact GK Jack Linnane at 724-452-7354 or <jlinnane@zoominternet.net>. Here's a link to the convention page: http://www.2016pakofc.us/2016pakofcforms.htm. Note that only 3rd Degree members may attend the convention, and all are invited to do so. May 16: Living Rosary. The second Monday of each month is the Living Rosary sponsored by the Knights. Please join your fellow parishioners at St. Ferdinand Church for the 7:00 p.m. recital of the Rosary. May 18: Council Membership Meeting. The monthly meeting will take place at the St. Ferdinand Education Center in Rooms 13 & 14 starting at 8:00 p.m. All members are invited to come early for recital of the Rosary at 7:30 p.m. Plan to stay for a bit after the Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 3 of 9
Page 4 of 9 meeting to enjoy refreshments and the company of your fellow Knights. May 21: Family Communion & Pizza. Consider this to be your formal invitation to join with Brother Knights and their families. We gather in the Narthex prior to the 6:00 p.m. Mass and then proceed to our reserved seating. Afterward, we will enjoy pizza and fellowship with lively conversations at a local pizza joint. Join us for pizza at 7:15 p.m. even if you are not able to attend the 6:00 p.m. Mass. Contact Brother Ray Badzik at 724-772-4454 or <rayjoannbadzik@yahoo.com> to let him know you ll be there. July 24: COUNCIL FAMILY PICNIC. Please reserve Sunday, July 24 in your calendar -- this is the date of the Council s Family Picnic. It will be held at the Lion's Shelter in Cranberry Township s Community Park starting at 1:30 p.m. Lots of food, fun and a plain old good time will be on hand. Showing up is an easy first step in getting to know Brother Knights and perhaps becoming involved. We re looking forward to seeing everyone there. Council Awards... The following Knights and their families were recognized by the Council. Family of the Month Knight of the Month November December Gary and Pam Paker Vince and Peggy Plocido George Sorna Milt Stauber Happy Birthday to the following Brother Knights: February Birthdays Brandon C Gill Thomas J Gramc Steven A Loehlein Michael J Micco Francis B Popp Delmar R Shaffer William J Shaffer John P Visnick March Birthdays Eugene C Brown R Matthew Fleig Isaac N Mills Thomas M Rhein Robert J Schreck Jr James W Shipley James R Veverka Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 4 of 9
Page 5 of 9 Remember in your Prayers... The following persons were remembered in our prayers during our recent meetings. If you know of any member in need of prayer support, contact the Grand Knight or Deputy Grand Knight. Brother Knights Eugene Brown Bob Cranden Rutherford Cozad David Sheehy, RIP & Family Family JoAnn Badzik (wife of Brother Ray Badzik) Ray Cranden (brother of Brother Bob Cranden) Mary Anne Christie (daughter of Brother George Sorna) Karen DeCampli (daughter of Brother Eugene Brown) Bill Hockenberry (son-in-law of Brother Vince Plocido) Barbara Loehlein (mother of Brother Steve Loehlein) Don St. John Thomas Way DJ Harris Officer Contacts: Name Phone Email Address Grand Knight Jack Linnane 724-452-7354 jlinnane@zoominternet.net Deputy Grand Knight & Membership Chair Chancellor & Program Director Vince Plocido Terry Nicola 724-772-0129 plocido@zoominternet.net 724-494-6884 tnicola1@zoominternet.net Financial Secretary Joel Zygmunt 724-772-1017 joel.zygmunt@gmail.com Recording Secretary & Newsletter Author Mark Crookshank 724-779-2084 crook@zoominternet.net Links of Interest: Supreme Council: PA State Council: Pittsburgh Chapter: www.kofc.org, or on Twitter @KofC www.pakofc.us www.pittsburghchapterkofc.org The current Newsletter, meeting date/location and upcoming events can also be found on the St. Ferdinand Parish website STFERD.ORG under Organizations - Knights of Columbus, or use this link: http://stferd-wp.org/wp2/organizations/knights-of-columbus/ This Newsletter prepared by Joel Zygmunt: 724-772-1017 <joel.zygmunt@gmail.com>. Please share ideas and/or information for future Newsletters with Mark Crookshank. The Newsletter is distributed by e-mail so please ensure acceptance of this email address. Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 5 of 9
Page 6 of 9 Addendum 2015-2016 Council Officers: Chaplain Fr. Andrew Fischer Warden Sam Crooks Grand Knight Jack Linnane Inside Guard John Manny Deputy Grand Knight Vince Plocido Outside Guard Milt Stauber Chancellor Terry Nicola Trustee Warren Mathe Recording Secretary Mark Crookshank Trustee Drew Freeman Treasurer Steve Loehlein Trustee Tom Way Advocate Dave Harris 2015-2016 Council Program Personnel: Program Director Terry Nicola Family Director Thomas Lander Church Director Raymond Badzik Youth Director David Harris Vocations Director Thomas Lander Membership Director Vincent Plocido Community Director Warren Mathe Recruitment Chair Ronald Matviya Culture of Life Chair Andrew Freeman Retention Chair Vincent Plocido Health Services Chair Thomas Lander Insurance Promotion Vincent Plocido Council Director Mark Crookshank Veterans Director unnassigned Public Relations Chair Mark Crookshank Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 6 of 9
Page 7 of 9 Caring for Our Own The Knights of Columbus isn t just an insurance company. It s a brotherhood, and so we do things differently. If we were just another insurance company, you d be nothing more than customers or potential customers who only add value based on the products you purchase. But you re not. You re brothers, and so are we. After all, Father McGivney founded the Knights 132 years ago so that we could help each other that s what insurance for brother Knights by brother Knights is all about. So we offer you products and services that are rare in our industry because we care deeply about you and your families, and your wellbeing. For starters, we extend to each of our members an Accidental Death benefit for free, just by virtue of their membership in the Knights of Columbus. The program which is only available in insurance jurisdictions provides a benefit of $1,000 - $2,500 upon the accidental death of any member or his spouse (subject to certain age restrictions). The program was launched at the 113 th Supreme Council Meeting in 1994, and has continued to the present day, providing more than $12.5 million in benefits. In addition to the Accidental Death benefit, the Knights of Columbus offer a number of free services to our members and their families. First and foremost, we agents are committed to providing survivor assistance to widows and families left behind after the loss of a loved one. Most commercial agents would fill out the necessary paperwork and move on, but not Knights of Columbus agents. We will stand by you and help you contact your attorney to sort out the will, help you make funeral arrangements, help you notify and coordinate with the council, help resolve any financial matters, help you file any claims (including claims with companies other than the Knights of Columbus), and will help file for survivor benefits or Veteran s benefits, if necessary. Secondarily, we offer two additional services to help Knights families plan. The first is Profiles & Forecaster, a comprehensive and complimentary industry tool that helps you evaluate your family s financial situation, and to determine what insurance protection if any may be needed. The second, the Knights of Columbus Personal Planning Workbook, will help you record your final wishes and important information (including accounts, passwords, funeral arrangements, etc.) for your survivors. Both of these services are free. In a letter addressing the programs, our Supreme Knight Carl Anderson noted that These benefits augment the tradition of fraternity established by Father McGivney, namely, that the Order cares for its own; it expands upon a basic reason for which he founded the Order: of rendering pecuniary aid to its members, their families, and beneficiaries of members and their families. Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 7 of 9
Page 8 of 9 They are part of what makes us unique. So get to know all of our fraternal benefits, and the ways in which you may benefit from them. Contact me today to learn more. Interested in K of C Life Insurance and other products? Contact our general agent: Ken Scott General Agent 724-719-2324 kenneth.scott@kofc.org Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 8 of 9
Page 9 of 9 KofC Council 11838 New Activity/Program Proposal Submitted By Print Name Date Service Catagory Pick One: Church Community Council Family Youth Culture of Life Activity/Program Title Please Print Description Please Print Benefit Please Print Required for Columbian Award Yes No Visibility Within Community High Medium Low Frequency One-Time On-Going Estimated Cost Estimated Income Estimated Staffing:Requirement Estimated Man-Hours Ease of Implementation Easy Moderate Hard For Council Use Reviewed By; Date; Status Council 11838 Newsletter - February 2016 Page 9 of 9