Suge...With Sevice When a Knight acts selflessly, he acts on behalf of the wold.
Times may change, but the challenges facing people emain the same. A need fo food, shelte, wam clothing, financial secuity and aid fo widows and ophans these wee all challenges that faced the membes of Fathe Michael J. McGivney s paish. To help meet these challenges, Fathe McGivney fomed the Knights of Columbus. Today, ou society faces the same challenges that confonted people in 1882. While making geat stides to ovecome these challenges, Knights of Columbus councils will neve waive in thei commitment of continuing Fathe McGivney s vision of sevice to people in need in ou paishes and communities.
Table of Contents You Council Is Committed to Sevice...1 Planning the Sevice Pogam...2 Implementing the Sevice Pogam...3 Odeing Supplies...3 Keeping Pogam Pesonnel Motivated...4 The Six Suge... with Sevice Pogam Categoies...4 Chuch Activities...5 Featued Pogam Refund Suppot Vocations Pogam (RSVP)...5 Refund fo Paticipating in RSVP...6 Columbian Awad Requiements fo RSVP...7 Odewide Pogam Building the Domestic Chuch...7 Odewide Pogam Keep Chist in Chistmas...7 Odewide Pogam Maian Paye Pogam...8 Additional Chuch Activity Pogams...8 Community Activities...9 Featued Pogam Habitat fo Humanity...9 Columbian Awad Requiements fo Habitat fo Humanity...9 Featued Pogam Global Wheelchai Mission...10 Columbian Awad Requiements fo the Global Wheelchai Mission...10 Gay Sinise Foundation...11 Additional Community Activity Pogams...11 Council Activities...11 Featued Pogam Special Olympics...11 Columbian Awad Requiements fo Special Olympics...12 Additional Council Activity Pogams...12 Cultue of Life Activities...12 Featued Pogam Ultasound Initiative...13 Columbian Awad Requiement fo the Ultasound Initiative...13 Featued Pogam Mach fo Life...14 Columbian Awad Requiement fo the Mach fo Life...14 Additional Cultue of Life Activity Pogams...15 Family Activities...15 Featued Pogam Food fo Families...15 Rebate fo Paticipating in Food fo Families...16 Columbian Awad Requiements fo Food fo Families...16 Odewide Pogam Family of the Month and Family of the Yea...17 Additional Family Activity Pogams...17 Youth Activities...18 Featued Pogam Coats fo Kids...18 Columbian Awad Requiement fo Coats fo Kids...18 Odewide Pogam Columbian Squies...19 Odewide Pogam Fee Thow Championship...19 Odewide Pogam Socce Challenge...20 Odewide Pogam Substance Abuse Awaeness Poste Contest...20 Odewide Pogam Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest...21 Additional Youth Activity Pogams...21 Appendix A...21 Sta Council Awad...21 Fathe McGivney Awad...21 Foundes Awad...22 Columbian Awad...22 Appendix B...22 Council Budget...22 Appendix C...23 Intenational Sevice Pogam Awads...23
You Council Is Committed to Sevice Councils conducting well-ounded pogams in the sevice pogam categoies of Chuch, Community, Council, Cultue of Life, Family and Youth povide meaningful help to people and families. This Suge... with Sevice manual povides you council with infomation it can use to implement sevice pogams that will assist you paish and community. Though these pogams, membes will be able to wok togethe to accomplish much moe than they could acting alone, and they ll also build bonds of fiendship and fatenity which will last a lifetime. This manual highlights a few pogams in the Suge... with Sevice categoies of Chuch, Community, Council, Cultue of Life, Family and Youth. Additional sevice pogam suggestions may be found at kofc.og/suge. You council should adapt the infomation in this manual to meet local esouces and needs. By conducting well-un sevice pogams, you council continues the vision of ou founde by assisting people in need and stengthening the bonds that unite ou membes. Councils that conduct well-ounded sevice pogams may be eligible fo the Sta Council Awad, which ecognizes the effots that councils put foth in continuing Fathe McGivney s mission. In ode fo you council to ean the Sta Council Awad, it must: Ean the Fathe McGivney Awad fo excellence in council membeship gowth. Conduct fequent chuch dives. Visit kofc.og/dive fo additional infomation on how to conduct a chuch dive. Schedule monthly Fist Degee Ceemonials. Invite non-membes to voluntee in one of you council s sevice pogams. Afte the pogam, invite the non-membe to join you council. Ean the Foundes Awad fo excellence in the pomotion of ou insuance and fatenal benefits. Conduct Fatenal Benefit Nights. Ensue that completed Membeship Documents (#100) ae pomptly deliveed to you council s insuance agent. Invite you council s insuance agent to speak at council meetings. Ean the Columbian Awad fo well-ounded council pogams. 1
You council should conduct at least fou majo pogams in each of the Suge... with Sevice categoies of Chuch, Community, Council, Cultue of Life, Family and Youth, o complete one of the featued pogams fo that categoy. Complete the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) and submit by June 30. The infomation contained in this manual offes solid ideas on how to ean the Columbian Awad fo you council by undetaking outstanding pogams. Submit the Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365) due by Aug. 1. Using the Membe Management Application in the secue Offices Online section of the Knights of Columbus website is the easiest way to submit this fom. Submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) due by Jan. 31. This suvey accounts fo you council s chaitable giving of money and voluntee time. Complete the fom electonically by visiting kofc.og/foms. Remain cuent with assessments fom the Supeme Council headquates. Thee ae oppotunities fo you council to ean additional stas on the Sta Council Awad. Ean the Sta Council Awad and attain 200 pecent, 300 pecent, 400 pecent, etc. of you council s membeship quota. Fo additional infomation on how you council can ean the Sta Council Awad, see Appendix A o visit kofc.og/sta. Planning the Sevice Pogam Stat planning immediately afte the election of offices. At that time, the gand knight appoints pogam and membeship diectos. Remembe that pogamming and membeship go hand-inhand. A council cannot conduct successful pogams without membe suppot, but without quality pogams, pospective membes will not be inteested in joining you council. Afte his appointment, the pogam diecto woks with the gand knight to name the committee chaimen fo each of the sevice pogam activity categoies. Once the diectos and committee chais ae appointed, complete and submit the Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365) though the Membe Management application located in the Offices Online section of ou website no late than Aug. 1. The epot can also be found at kofc.og/foms and in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). Submitting this epot allows the diectos and chaimen to eceive impotant infomation fom the Supeme Council headquates and the state council. If thee ae changes in committee chaimen duing the fatenal yea, you may also use the Membe Management application to make the updates o submit a new Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365) to the Supeme Council headquates with only the new o changed infomation. 2
Implementing the Sevice Pogam Once you council s diectos and chaimen have been appointed, the gand knight immediately calls an oganizational meeting. Council offices including the pogam and membeship diectos with thei espective committee chaimen and you council s financial secetay and chaplain should attend. As this meeting sets the goundwok fo the entie fatenal yea, aange fo it to be held befoe July 1. Use it to help set the sevice pogam calenda, membeship and insuance goals, council budget and council social calenda. Duing the pogamming potion of the oganizational meeting, you council offices should: Review the pogams that wee conducted in the past yea. Analyze the easons fo the success o failue of each poject. Decide which pogams should be epeated in the cuent fatenal yea and which new pogams should be included. Set a budget fo each pogam (see Council Budgets in Appendix B). Set tentative dates fo each pogam. Conside the paish calenda befoe setting these dates. Appoint committee chaimen fo each pogam. Establish a meeting schedule fo the pogam committee chaimen. Pepae a list of pogams to pesent to you council fo appoval. Communicate the date of each pogam to the public elations chaiman to ensue that you council s pogams ae communicated to the paish and community in a timely fashion. Odeing Supplies The Supeme Council headquates has many mateials available to help you council pomote and conduct its sevice pogams. Council supplies can be odeed though knightsgea.com, the Ode s website fo all Knights of Columbus-elated gift and clothing needs, including Knights of Columbus appael, accessoies, books, eligious supplies and litugical items. Hee ae some tips to ensue that you ode is pocessed and shipped in time fo you pogams: 3 4069 It is impotant to keep in mind the equiements fo eaning the Sta Council Awad when pepaing you council s pogams. At least fou pogams in each of the following sevice categoies should be planned: Chuch, Community, Council, Cultue of life, Family and Youth. Additional infomation on eaning the Sta Council Awad can be found in Appendix A o by visiting eithe the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal o kofc.og/sta.
All council supplies must be odeed though you council s gand knight o financial secetay. To have the ode chaged against you council s account, each gand knight and financial secetay must fist log in to Offices Online. Once logged in, offices may access the link to knightsgea.com. When odeing council supplies though knightsgea.com, thee is no longe a need to complete a Requisition (#1). Ode mateials at least fou weeks in advance of you pogam date. Mateials that ae needed soone will be shipped in an expedited manne; howeve, exta shipping chages will be applied to the ode. Keeping Pogam Pesonnel Motivated The pogam diecto and committee chaiman ae esponsible fo keeping the sevice pogam voluntees motivated. It is natual to appeciate ecognition fo a job well done. Hee ae some suggestions to keep moale high: The Supeme Council headquates has many cetificates that may be pesented to membes in ecognition of a successful pogam. Visit knightsgea.com fo a complete list of cetificates. Be sue that each Knight gets full cedit and ecognition fo his wok. An occasional pesonal note may mean a geat deal to the ecipient. Listen to the suggestions of you council membes and acknowledge good advice. Tell you bothe Knights that you appeciate thei inteest and will conside thei ideas. Be pepaed to listen when a membe has a question o poblem. Guide him, but get him to do most of the thinking. This indicates espect fo his judgment, giving him confidence and a feeling of impotance. Accept esponsibility fo you mistakes. This shows you team that you know you ae human and fallible. The Six Suge... with Sevice Pogam Categoies A well-ounded sevice pogam will have activities in each of the following categoies: Chuch Community Council Cultue of Life Family Youth This manual focuses on Supeme Council-designated featued pogams as well as othe longstanding, widely-conducted pogams. You council is encouaged to implement any pogam(s) that 4
will help make a diffeence in you paish and community. By conducting one of the Supeme Council-designated featued pogams, you council may fulfill all fou activity equiements fo that categoy, and theeby begin qualifying fo the Columbian Awad. Fo additional infomation on the Columbian Awad, please see Appendix A o visit kofc.og/sta. The pogams highlighted hee ae meant to inspie you council into action. You council may choose to conduct one o moe of the pogams featued in this manual, o it may develop pogams unique to you paish o community. What s impotant is that you council is active and conducts sevice pojects. By conducting sevice pojects, you council continues Fathe McGivney s commitment to seving those in need. Chuch Activities As Catholics, we ae called to take an active pat in building a stong paish, Chuch and community. You Knights of Columbus council is pefectly positioned to be the lead oganization within you paish and community to answe that call. Chuch activity pogams also enable each membe to gow in his faith, become a bette husband and fathe, and set a standad fo othe Catholic gentlemen. Invite the pasto of you council s paish to you oganizational meeting to detemine the immediate needs of the paish. This will stengthen you council s bond with the paish and show paishiones that the Knights ae eady and willing to assist when called upon. Featued Pogam Refund Suppot Vocations Pogam The Knights of Columbus has long suppoted vocations to the piesthood and eligious life, paticulaly though the Refund Suppot Vocations Pogam (RSVP). Though this Chuch Activities featued pogam, you council adopts one o moe seminaians o postulants, poviding them with financial assistance and moal suppot. It s a way fo you council to invest in the futue of ou Chuch. To have you council paticipate in RSVP, you committee chaiman should: 5 Contact you pasto o diocesan vocations diecto to identify one o moe seminaians o postulants to suppot. Ceate a plan fo aising the money that will be donated. Send lettes o emails of intoduction fom the council, congatulating the seminaian[s] o postulant[s] on thei decision to answe God s call and explaining what you council is pepaed to offe them. Encouage membes, council families and othe paishiones to keep the seminaian[s] o postulant[s] in thei payes.
Make pesonal visits, if possible, to you adopted seminaian[s] o postulant[s]. Povide the seminaian[s] o postulant[s] with moal suppot though lettes, emails and special occasion cads. Invite the seminaian[s] o postulant[s] to you council to make a pesentation on what it means to pepae fo the piesthood o eligious life. Invite the seminaian[s] o postulant[s]to council social activities as a beak fom thei studies. Congatulate the seminaian[s] o postulant[s] upon odination o pofession of final vows. Refund fo paticipating in RSVP Councils involved in RSVP may qualify fo a efund fom the Supeme Council headquates. Fo evey $500 donated, a council o assembly may eceive $100 (fo a maximum efund of $400 pe individual). Councils and assemblies in the Philippines and Mexico eceive the equivalent in local cuency of $50 fo evey $250 donated. Columbian Squies cicles ae also eligible fo a efund of $20 fo each $100 donated. Use the following guidelines to help ensue eligibility fo the efund. Pesons eligible to eceive RSVP funds include: Seminaians who have been accepted by a diocese and ae cuently in thei spiituality yea. Seminaians attending majo seminaies in pepaation fo piestly odination. Seminaians in thei pastoal yea. Seminaians attending college seminaies. Seminaians who belong to a eligious institute and ae cuently in fomation fo the piesthood. Men and women who ae postulants o novices in eligious odes o eligious communities. Pesons NOT eligible fo RSVP funds include: Piests o eligious seeking assistance fo continuing education. Religious bothes not cuently studying fo the piesthood. Candidates fo the pemanent diaconate. Funds donated to each individual must be vocation-elated and amount to at least $500 pe individual. The funds must be given diectly to an individual and NOT to an institution o fund. The funds must be paid with a check[s] dawn on the council s account. To eceive the efund, you council will need to: Complete and submit the RSVP Refund and Plaque Application (#2863). This fom is found at kofc.og/foms o in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). This fom needs to be accompanied by all suppoting documentation, which includes canceled checks and evidence of moal suppot povided to the seminaian o postulant. Fo the most up-to-date infomation petaining to the eligibility fo the efund and pogam equiements fo RSVP, please visit kofc.og/svp o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. 6
Columbian Awad Requiements fo RSVP When you council paticipates in RSVP and meets the minimum equiements fo the pogam, it will be eligible to fulfill all fou Chuch Activity equiements fo the Columbian Awad. To ensue that you council eceives cedit fo all fou Chuch Activity equiements, follow these guidelines: Complete and submit the RSVP Refund and Plaque Application (#2863). Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Indicate you council s paticipation in RSVP unde the Chuch Activities section. Compete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31. Odewide Pogam Building the Domestic Chuch: The Family Fully Alive This initiative is designed to help Knights of Columbus families ealize moe fully thei mission to be an authentic domestic chuch. They can do this though daily paye, catechesis and Sciptue eading, as well as though monthly chaitable and voluntee pojects. This initiative is designed to un thoughout the yea. It contains suggested activities fo individual families to conduct in thei homes as well as activities that may be pomoted council-wide. Many of the suggested pogams in this initiative cove the majoity of the Suge... with Sevice categoies. Fo additional infomation on the Building the Domestic Chuch: The Family Fully Alive initiative, visit kofc.og/familyfullyalive. Odewide Pogam Keep Chist in Chistmas The commecialism that dominates the Chistmas season makes it easy to foget that the bith of Chist is the eason we celebate Chistmas. Give paishiones and people in you community an oppotunity to eflect on the meaning of the season by conducting vaious Keep Chist in Chistmas activities duing the Advent season. You council may wish to: Hold a celebation in you paish based on the taditional Posada. The booklet (#9898) is available though knightsgea.com o at kofc.og. Sponso Keep Chist in Chistmas spot announcements on adio and television. Public sevice announcements ae available fom the Supeme Council Depatment of Fatenal Sevices by calling 203-752-4270 o via email at fatenalsevices@kofc.og. Ode and distibute Keep Chist in Chistmas pinted mateials, such as Nativity scene ca stickes, available though knightsgea.com. 7
Paticipate in the Keep Chist in Chistmas Poste Contest. Use the Keep Chist in Chistmas Poste Contest Ode Fom (CPC-KIT) to ode pogam mateial. Ask school childen to design a poste fo Chistmas. Repot you council s paticipation in the contest by completing and submitting the Keep Chist in Chistmas Poste Contest Paticipation Fom (#5023). Make o puchase Advent weaths fo the paish community to help paishiones pepae fo the celebation of Chist s bith in thei home. Oganize a paish Nativity play with childen fom the paish o local Catholic schools. Visit hospitals and nusing homes duing the Chistmas season. Pesent each patient with a eligious-themed Chistmas cad. Bing exta cads so that patients can send them to family o fiends. Offe to help wite and mail the cads. Spead the light of Chist to you community. Join Knights thoughout the Ode in planning a Chistmas tee o Nativity scene lighting ceemony fo the fist Tuesday in Decembe. At pecisely 8 p.m., local time, illuminate the tee o cèche. Odewide Pogam Maian Paye Pogam The Knights of Columbus has sponsoed Maian Hou of Paye pogams since 1979. Though these pogams, the Supeme Council distibutes pilgim icons to each state deputy. The icons, which depict the Blessed Vigin May unde he vaious titles, tavel fom council to council in each juisdiction fo paye sevices. To paticipate in the Maian Paye Pogam: Ask you juisdiction s Maian Paye Pogam chaiman when you council is scheduled to eceive the image. Ask council membes and clegy to lead and paticipate in the paye pogam. Attend the paye sevice at the council fom which you council will eceive the image. Fom thee, bing the image to you council. Send the paye books and cads used duing the Maian Hou to the next council eceiving the image. If you council equies additional books o cads, additional copies can be odeed though knightsgea.com. Fo the most up-to-date infomation on the Maian Paye Pogam, please visit kofc.og. Additional Chuch Activity Pogams Clegy appeciation dinnes Alta seve appeciation Paish gounds cleanup Faith fomation pogams Copoate communions Sponso Holy Hous and Euchaistic Adoation Bible discussions Rosay making and distibution Council-wide commitment to voluntee as lectos and/o ushes at Mass Sponso paish eteats 8
Community Activities Have you eve wondeed, How can I make my community bette? While individuals cetainly can do geat things on thei own, Knights of Columbus membes, coming togethe as one though thei council, have accomplished geat things in ou communities. Councils that conduct Community Activity pogams ae positively shaping thei communities by addessing the needs of its citizens. Featued Pogam Habitat fo Humanity Knights of Columbus councils have addessed one of the most basic human needs shelte fo nealy two decades by patneing with Habitat fo Humanity. Hee ae some steps to become involved with you local Habitat fo Humanity and paticipate in this featued pogam: Contact you local Habitat fo Humanity affiliate. Infomation on you local affiliate is available on the Habitat fo Humanity website, habitat.og. Ask you local affiliate s epesentative what oppotunities ae available fo council paticipation and/o sponsoship. Decide on a poject to paticipate in and/o sponso, then publicize the poject s dates o you council s fundaising effots to attact paticipants and donos. Involve you paish community in the poject by inviting non-membes and thei families to paticipate. Hold a Thank You o Open House event fo all that paticipated in the poject once you fundaising activities ae complete. Columbian Awad Requiements fo Habitat fo Humanity When you council conducts a Habitat fo Humanity poject and meets the minimum equiements below, it s eligible to fulfill all fou Columbian Awad Community Activity equiements. Complete and submit the Patneship Pofile Repot with Habitat fo Humanity (#10092). Donate a minimum of $1,000 and 200 man hous to the poject. Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Unde the Community Activities section, indicate paticipation with Habitat fo Humanity. Compete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31. Fo the most up-to-date infomation on how you council can paticipate with Habitat fo Humanity, please visit the Knights of Columbus website, kofc.og, o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. 9
Featued Pogam Global Wheelchai Mission Since 2003, Knights of Columbus councils have woked with the Global Wheelchai Mission to delive moe than 40,000 wheelchais to people in need thoughout the wold. Though the Knights of Columbus paticipation with the Global Wheelchai Mission, a wheelchai that would nomally cost moe than $500 can be deliveed fo $150. Shipped in quantities of 100 to 280 wheelchais pe containe, the wheelchais ae deliveed diectly fom the factoy at no cost to the ecipients. To paticipate in the Global Wheelchai Mission: Detemine a location (county) to suppot though you council s donation of wheelchais. Pomote the pogam in you paish and community, noting whee the wheelchais will be distibuted. Conduct tageted fundaises to aise financial suppot fo you council s Global Wheelchai Mission poject. Invite pospective membes to join in these activities. Hold infomation nights and povide announcements concening the fundaising initiative in you paish bulletin and local newspape, o on local television stations. Sponso a Thank You event fo those who donated to the initiative. Columbian Awad Requiements fo the Global Wheelchai Mission When you council conducts a Global Wheelchai Mission poject and meets the minimum equiements below, it will be eligible to fulfill all fou Community Activity equiements fo the Columbian Awad. Commit to puchasing one (1) containe of one hunded (100) wheelchais. Complete and submit the Global Wheelchai Repot Fom (#10071). Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Unde the Community Activities section, indicate paticipation with the Global Wheelchai Mission. Compete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31. Fo the most up-to-date infomation on woking with the Global Wheelchai Mission, visit kofc.og/wheelchai o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. You can also visit the Ameican Wheelchai Mission at amwheelchai.og o the Canadian Wheelchai Foundation at cdnwheelchai.ca. 10
Odewide Pogam Gay Sinise Foundation The Gay Sinise Foundation is committed to ensuing that the sacifices of ou nation s bave men and women of ou amed foces ae neve fogotten. One of the many pogams established by the Gay Sinise Foundation is its R.I.S.E. pogam (Restoing Independence & Suppoting Empowement). Though the R.I.S.E. pogam, the foundation attempts to assist wounded heoes and thei families ovecome thei new life challenges. The Knights of Columbus encouages you council to join in the Ode s patneship with the Gay Sinise Foundation by aising funds to benefit the foundation and its R.I.S.E. pogam. Oganizing a council-sponsoed tip to a spoting event, and pomoting it to you paish and community, is just one of seveal ways to pomote and aise much-needed funds fo this wothy and chaitable cause. Fo additional infomation on the Gay Sinise Foundation, visit gaysinisefoundation.og. Additional Community Activity Pogams Plant tees in you community. Oganize a community beautification poject. Host a Mass to hono law enfocement officials, fiefightes and paamedics. Invite you police chief and/o offices to a council meeting to get thei views of how you council may help the poblems facing you community. Povide tutos and aise money to battle adult illiteacy. Adopt a highway. Council Activities Council activities foste a sense of fatenity among you membes and thei families. While much of ou chaitable wok is focused towad the Chuch and community, thee ae times when membes and thei families come togethe in a poject that fostes the unity of the goup. It is though shaed goals, faith and a sense of extended family that the fatenal ties of you membes and thei families gow. Look to conduct pogams that foste this sense of fatenity o benefit the membes of you council in some way. Featued Pogam Special Olympics The powe of fatenity is most evident when Knights of Columbus and thei families come togethe to voluntee, aise millions of dollas and pomote the dignity of people with physical and intellectual disabilities by paticipating in Special Olympics. 11
Hee ae the steps fo you council to follow to patne with Special Olympics: Locate a Special Olympics local affiliate by visiting specialolympics.og. Invite the Special Olympics affiliate diecto o pomotion peson to a council meeting to explain what Special Olympics is doing in you community and what thei needs ae. Appoint a Special Olympics chaiman to oganize you council s paticipation. Recuit voluntees fo the games. Plan and ecuit help fo vaious fundaises to suppot Special Olympics. Povide all fundaise dates and the games schedule to you council s public elations chaiman to povide advance notice to membes to ensue good attendance. Publicize you council s involvement with Special Olympics in you local newspape and paish bulletin. Invite the entie paish community to voluntee with you council. Columbian Awad Requiements fo Special Olympics When you council conducts a Special Olympics poject and meets the minimum equiements below, it will be eligible to fulfill all fou Council Activity equiements fo the Columbian Awad. Complete and submit the Patneship Pofile Repot with Special Olympics (#4584) no late than Jan. 31. Donate a minimum of $2,000 and 200 voluntee hous to Special Olympics. Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Unde the Council Activities section, indicate paticipation with Special Olympics. Compete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31. Fo the most up-to-date infomation on how you council can paticipate with Special Olympics, please visit kofc.og o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. Additional Council Activity Pogams Plan vaious social events fo council membes and thei families. Recognize outstanding membes though a Knight of the Month and/o Knight of the Yea Awad. Sponso Columbus Day celebations in you community. Celebate Founde s Day by having a special Mass o open house. Sponso an athletic team. Plan a council outing to a local spoting event. Cultue of Life Activities Knights of Columbus defend the dignity of each human being at evey stage of life. Knights wok togethe to build a cultue of life and a civilization of love. You council should stand eady to assist any pegnant woman in need, cae fo the eldely, aid the handicapped and bing attention to the injustices of abotion, embyonic stem cell eseach, euthanasia and assisted suicide. 12
Featued Pogam Ultasound Initiative A featued pogam unde the Cultue of Life Activity categoy is the Ultasound Initiative. You council can bing a window into the womb by paticipating in this pogam. To paticipate in the Ultasound Initiative, you council must: Commit to aising half the puchase pice of an ultasound machine. Locate a pegnancy cae cente that is tuly po-life and pepaed to eceive, use and maintain the ultasound machine. The cente must be popely licensed unde local and state laws. The cente must be oveseen by a medical docto. The cente must have licensed and expeienced pesonnel to opeate the ultasound machine. The cente must have adequate insuance. Obtain in-witing appoval fom you diocesan po-life diecto. Afte you council has identified a cente that meets the equiements above, the fundaising fo the ultasound machine can begin. Conside doing the following when aising funds to puchase an ultasound machine: Plan a seies of fundaises featuing diffeent themes to inteest the most people possible in you paish and community. Povide the fundaising dates, times and locations to you council s publicity chaiman to ensue good attendance. Publish the fundaising infomation in you paish bulletin and submit it to local news media. Once you council has aised half the puchase pice of the ultasound machine, complete and submit the Ultasound Initiative Application (#4886). This fom can be found at kofc.og/foms o in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). Once the fom is eceived and pocessed by the Supeme Council, the matching funds equied to puchase the ultasound machine will be mailed. Columbian Awad Requiement fo the Ultasound Initiative When you council conducts the Ultasound Initiative poject and meets the minimum equiements below, it will be eligible to fulfill all fou Cultue of Life Activity equiements fo the Columbian Awad. 13 Complete and submit the Ultasound Initiative Application (#4886). Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Unde the Cultue of Life Activities section, indicate paticipation in the Ultasound Initiative. Compete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31.
Fo the most up-to-date infomation on how you council can paticipate in the Ultasound Initiative, please eview the Ultasound Initiative Pogam Guidelines (#4885), kofc.og/ultasound o the details found at the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. Featued Pogam Mach fo Life The othe featued pogam in the Cultue of Life Activity categoy is the Mach fo Life. You council s involvement in a local, egional o national Mach fo Life shows commitment to the defense of life at all stages. All Knights ae encouaged to paticipate in the national Mach fo Life. If you council is unable to paticipate in the national Mach fo Life, check to see if you council can help plan o paticipate in a local poject. Hee ae some suggestions to help you council oganize local Mach fo Life events: Plan the oute fo the mach, confiming the beginning and end of the oute. Aange fo taffic contol, if needed, along the oute. Advetise the date of the event in chuch bulletins and local papes. Be sue to: Wea the Knights of Columbus emblem on jackets and hats Display you council s banne Cay positive signs and postes Walk togethe and be espectful Columbian Awad Requiement fo the Mach fo Life When you council paticipates in a local, egional o national Mach fo Life poject and meets the minimum equiements, it will be eligible to fulfill all fou Cultue of Life Activity equiements fo the Columbian Awad. Oganize a minimum of 100 maches. Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Unde the Cultue of Life Activities section, indicate paticipation in a Mach fo Life event and be specific as to the numbe of maches you council oganized. You must povide additional data to document you council s paticipation in the mach. Complete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31. Fo moe infomation on how you council can paticipate in the Mach fo Life, please visit kofc.og o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. 14
Additional Cultue of Life Activity Pogams Paticipate in the Knights of Columbus Day of Paye fo the Unbon Child, obseved annually on the feast of the Annunciation (Mach 25). Sponso a Baby Bottle Campaign. With you pasto s pemission, distibute baby bottles to paishiones and ask them to fill the bottles with loose change. The money collected can be donated to Cultue of Life effots in you aea. Suppot you local hospice by aising funds o poviding voluntees. Build a memoial in emembance of the millions of lives lost though abotion. Family Activities In today s wold, with all the demands that life bings, it s had to come by quality family time. Childen also face simila pessues fom school wok, spots and othe activities. You Knights of Columbus council offes families a chance to build stonge bonds by binging family membes togethe in chaitable and entetaining activities. Featued Pogam Food fo Families Hunge knows no season and it is not confined to one egion. The numbe of families that ae at isk of suffeing fom hunge is on the ise. You council should povide outeach to you paish soup kitchen o local food panty thoughout the yea. Hee ae some steps fo paticipating in the Food fo Families pogam: Meet with local food panties and soup kitchens to detemine how you council can assist in meeting thei needs. Schedule food dives at you council o paish, o at a local stoe (if given pemission by the owne). Give the dates of the scheduled food dives to you publicity chaiman so you have a good tunout. Distibute flyes at Mass to pomote the collection dates and sites. Place infomation on the food dives in the paish bulletin and local news media. Involve you paish in 40 Cans fo Lent, an initiative in which paishiones contibute one can of food fo each day of the Lenten season. Povide eceptacles and bins fo donated items, and make sue they ae emptied fequently. Be pepaed to accept monetay donations. 15
Rebate fo Paticipating in Food fo Families Once you council successfully completes the minimum paticipation equiements fo Food fo Families, it may qualify fo a ebate fom the Supeme Council headquates. The ebate available fo councils and assemblies is $100 fo evey $500 o evey 1,000 pounds of food donated fo a maximum ebate of $500 pe fatenal yea. Columbian Squies cicles ae also eligible fo a ebate of $20 fo each $100 o 200 pounds of food donated. Fo you council to be eligible fo the ebate and plaque, follow these guidelines: Contibute a minimum of $500 o 1,000 pounds of food. Complete and submit the Food fo Families Reimbusement Pogam Refund and Plaque Application (#10057). This fom can be found online at kofc.og/foms o in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). Keep tack of the hous of voluntee sevice you council povides to the food bank/panty, as this infomation is used to detemine you council s eligibility to eceive a plaque in ecognition of the sevice povided. Fo the most up-to-date infomation petaining to ebate eligibility and pogam equiements fo Food fo Families, please visit kofc.og/food o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. Columbian Awad Requiements fo Food fo Families When you council conducts a Food fo Families poject and meets the minimum equiements listed below, it will be eligible to fulfill all fou Family Activity equiements fo the Columbian Awad. Donate a minimum of 1,000 pounds of food and 100 man hous to the poject. Complete and submit the Food fo Families Reimbusement Pogam Refund and Plaque Application (#10057) no late than June 30. Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Unde the Family Activities section, indicate paticipation in Food fo Families. Compete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31. Fo the most up-to-date infomation on how you council can paticipate in Food fo Families and fo ebate equiements, please visit the Knights of Columbus website, kofc.og/food o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. 16
Odewide Pogam Family of the Month and Family of the Yea By paticipating in the Family of the Month and Family of the Yea pogams, you council honos families who exemplify the values taught by ou Chuch and Ode. Base you council s ecognition of a family on the following questions: Does the family pay and attend Mass togethe? Has the family made significant contibutions to the Chuch, community and/o council? Does the family enjoy one anothe s company? Does the family communicate openly and honestly? Does the family spend time togethe? To paticipate in the Family of the Month pogam, choose a family to hono at the beginning of each month. Thee ae Family of the Month Cetificates (#1843, 25 ) available fo pesentation to the family. In addition, complete and submit the Family of the Month fom (#1993A), found on kofc.og/foms, by the 15th of each month in ode fo you chosen family to be enteed into a dawing to win a gift fom the supeme knight. 1843 A Family of the Yea (#1843A, 25 ) cetificate is also available. Choose one of you Family of the Month ecipients to ente into you juisdiction s Family of the Yea contest. Complete and submit the Family of the Yea Enty Fom, found at kofc.og/foms, to you state council fo consideation. Winning enties fom each juisdiction ae eligible to be named Intenational Family of the Yea with the awad pesented at the annual Supeme Convention. Additional Family Activity Pogams Adopt a needy family in you paish o community. Plan vaious family activities picnics, eteat weekends, etc. Offe a babysitting pogam fo council membes families. Sponso a family Mass o Communion beakfast. Pomote Fathes fo Good, a Knights of Columbus initiative fo fathes and husbands. Fo infomation, visit fathesfogood.com. 17
Youth Activities Today s youth ae the futue leades of ou communities and councils. Effective youth activities teach young people valuable life lessons on leadeship, esponsibility, moality and compassion. Featued Pogam Coats fo Kids Seeing the joy of a child in need being given a band new coat invigoates council membes and can motivate potential membes to join you council. Hee ae some steps fo you council to follow to oganize a Coats fo Kids poject: Plan fo the activity well in advance, setting a distibution date and location. Consult with pastos and pincipals of the paishes and schools in you community. Decide on a fundaising stategy to help puchase the coats. Publicize the fundaising events and coat distibution dates in you paish bulletin and local news media. Hold a Thank You o Open House eception fo all voluntees and contibutos. Columbian Awad Requiement fo Coats fo Kids When you council conducts the Coats fo Kids poject and meets the minimum equiements listed below, it will be eligible to fulfill all fou Youth Activity equiements fo the Columbian Awad. Ode and distibute a minimum of eight cases of coats. Complete and submit the Coats fo Kids Ode Fom (#5029). This fom can be found on kofc.og/foms o in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). Complete and submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7) no late than June 30. Unde the Youth Activities section, indicate paticipation in Coats fo Kids. Compete and submit you council s Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Complete and submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728) no late than Jan. 31. Fo the most up-to-date equiements and infomation on how you council can paticipate in Coats fo Kids, visit kofc.og/coats o the Knights of Columbus Fatenal Taining Potal. 18
Odewide Pogam Columbian Squies Today s youth ae tomoow s leades. As the official youth oganization of the Knights of Columbus, the Columbian Squies should be a pat of evey council s youth pogam. Hee ae some guidelines to follow if you council wishes to sponso a Squies cicle: Complete and submit the Columbian Squies Inquiy Kit Ode Fom (#2935). The ode fom is available on kofc.og/foms. Hold a Columbian Squies infomation night fo you council. Invite you state Squies chaiman, state youth diecto, counselos and Squies fom neaby cicles to explain the benefits of sponsoing a cicle. Afte you council votes to sponso a Squies cicle, complete and submit the Notice of Intent to Establish a Columbian Squies Cicle (#457), available at kofc.og/foms. Once the cicle is established and thee ae at least 10 Squies, complete and submit the Notice of Institution of Columbian Squies Cicle (#460). The notice is available at kofc.og/foms. 1928 Odewide Pogam Fee Thow Championship Fee Thow Championships ae fun and easy to conduct. You council should conduct its Fee Thow Championship in Januay, as the winnes have the option of attending the Distict Championship and Regional Championship in Febuay, and State o Povincial Championship in Mach. Hee ae a few guidelines to follow when conducting the pogam: Ode the Knights of Columbus Fee Thow Championship Kit (#FT-KIT) ealy in the fatenal yea. The ode fom can be found at kofc.og/foms o in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). The kit may also be odeed diectly though knightsgea.com. Be sue to contact schools and community o youth centes to secue a basketball cout fo the dates of you council s pogam. Contact the schools in you aea to pomote the pogam. Keep in mind that the pogam is open to all boys and gils aged 9-14 yeas whethe educated at home o in public o pivate schools. Consult the Official Guide of the Knights of Columbus Fee Thow Championship (#1928) o kofc.og/feethow fo ules and instuctions on the pogam. 19
Odewide Pogam Socce Challenge The Knights of Columbus Socce Challenge is a fun and easy to conduct Youth Activity. You council should conduct its Socce Challenge in Septembe, as winnes advance to the Distict Championship in Octobe, the Regional Championship duing Octobe and Novembe, and the State o Povincial Championship in Novembe. Hee ae some guidelines to follow when conducting the pogam: 4576 Ode the Knights of Columbus Socce Challenge Kit (#SC-KIT) by Aug. 15. The ode fom can be found at kofc.og and in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). The kit may also be odeed diectly though knightsgea.com. Contact schools and community o youth centes to secue a socce field fo the dates of you council s pogam. Ask schools in you aea to pomote the pogam. Keep in mind that the pogam is open to all boys and gils aged 9-14 yeas, whethe educated at home o in pivate o public schools. Complete pogam ules and instuctions on conducting the pogam can be found in the Official Guide of the Knights of Columbus Socce Challenge (#4576) o at kofc.og/socce. Odewide Pogam Knights of Columbus Substance Abuse Awaeness Poste Contest Though the Knights of Columbus Substance Abuse Awaeness Poste Contest, you council can encouage young people in you community to addess a seious issue that affects them diectly. Conduct this pogam duing the fist half of the school yea, and finish judging enties in Januay. You council s winnes should advance to the distict level in Mach and the egional level in late Mach, and the state/povincial judging should take place in Apil. Hee ae some guidelines to follow when conducting the pogam: Ode the Substance Abuse Awaeness Poste Contest Kit Ode Fom (#SA-KIT) by Sept. 1. The ode fom can be found at kofc.og/foms o in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436), o you may ode the kit diectly by visiting knightsgea.com. Contact both public and pivate schools in you community to pomote the pogam. Keep in mind that the contest is open to all boys and gils aged 8-14 yeas. Fo complete ules and contest guidelines, efe to the Knights of Columbus Substance Abuse Awaeness Poste Contest Guide (#4112) o kofc.og/substanceabuse. 20
Odewide Pogam Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest The Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest is a way to get young people in you community to exploe the ole they play as Catholic citizens. Essay themes change peiodically and ae announced at kofc.og/essay at the beginning of the school yea. Hee ae some guidelines to follow when conducting the pogam: Advetise the pogam among the aea s schools, pomoting the contest to all Catholic students whethe they ae educated at home o in public, pivate o paochial schools in gades 8-12. Afte confiming the numbe of paticipating students, complete and submit the Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest Paticipation Fom (#4216) by Jan. 31. Refe to the Official Guide to the Knights of Columbus Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest (#4202) o kofc.og/essay fo pocedues on holding the contest. Additional Youth Activity Pogams: Povide voluntees at you local CYO o YMCA. Pomote and suppot Big Bothes/Big Sistes. Sponso a Boy Scout toop. Host vaious athletic events fo boys and gils in you aea. Conduct a spelling bee. Aange a eteat fo young people. Appendix A Sta Council Awad In ode fo you council to ean the Sta Council Awad, it must: Ean the Fathe McGivney Awad fo membeship gowth. Ean the Foundes Awad fo insuance gowth. Ean the Columbian Awad fo well-ounded council pogams. Submit the Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7). Submit the Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365). Submit the Annual Suvey of Fatenal Activity (#1728). Remain cuent with assessments fom the Supeme Council headquates. The Fathe McGivney Awad ecognizes excellence in membeship gowth. Each yea, you council is assigned a membeship quota fom the Supeme Council. Fo the awad, gowth is consideed to be net incease ove losses though suspension o withdawal. Deaths do not count against you quota, and tansfes in o out of you council do not count fo o against you quota. You council quota can be found unde the Membeship tab in Offices Online, which is updated daily. Thee is no application fo the Fathe McGivney Awad as eligibility is automatically detemined by the Supeme Council. 21
The Foundes Awad ecognizes excellence in you council s pomotion of ou insuance poducts. Each yea, you council is assigned an insuance quota fom the Supeme Council. Fo the awad, gowth is consideed to be net gain above losses though suspensions, withdawals and tansfes fom insuance to associated membeship. Deaths do not count against you quota, and tansfes in o out of you council do not count fo o against you quota. You council quota can be found unde the Membeship tab in Offices Online, which is updated daily. Thee is no application fo the Foundes Awad, as eligibility is automatically detemined by the Supeme Council. The Columbian Awad ecognizes you council s chaitable sevice activities and pogams in each of the six Suge... with Sevice pogam categoies. In ode to ean the Columbian Awad, you council must complete at least fou majo pogams o activities in each of the six Suge... with Sevice pogam categoies. You council should focus its activities on Chuch, Community, Council, Cultue of Life, Family and Youth. To be eligible fo this awad, the following foms must also be submitted and accepted: The Sevice Pogam Pesonnel Repot (#365), due Aug. 1. The Columbian Awad Application (#SP-7), due June 30. The Supeme Council has designated select pogams as Featued Pogams in each of the pogam categoies. When you council conducts a featued pogam and fulfills the equiements fo that pogam, it will fulfill all fou activity equiements fo that paticula pogam categoy. To ean multiple stas on the Sta Council Awad, ean the Sta Council Awad and 200 pecent, 300 pecent, 400 pecent, etc. of you council s membeship quota. Appendix B Council Budget To begin the budget pocess, eview the actual evenues and expenses fo each pogam and activity and compae those figues with the budgeted figues fom the past yea. Questions to conside: Wee the evenues skewed by one lage donation? Wee items that wee donated in the past now being chaged fo, thus inceasing expenses? Was paticipation in a paticula activity up o down? Did it depend on the weathe o a scheduling conflict? This could impact both evenues and expenses. Did the council chage too little o too much fo the event? Keep the budgeted figues ealistic and attainable. The figues should eflect an appoximation of the actual esults fom the pio yea, adjusted as needed fo eithe an extaodinay event o something that will be consideed nomal going fowad. A good ule of thumb would be to incease evenue and expenses fo the cost of inflation (appoximately 1-2 pecent). 22
Setting a budget is also an oppotunity to evaluate each pogam and detemine which ones the council will continue. The budget fo a new activity will eithe take the evenue and expenses fom a discontinued activity o new dollas will need to be allocated. Once the budget is finalized, pesent it at a egula council meeting fo an appoval vote of the membeship. Schedule this duing one of the fist few meetings of the fatenal yea. This pocess ensues that futue meetings ae not taken up with voting on each poject s expense. At the close of the fatenal yea, tansfe excess funds fom the council s geneal account to a savings account, as appopiate. Appendix C Intenational Sevice Pogam Awads Each yea duing a juisdiction s convention, the state councils ecognize the best pogam conducted by councils in each of the sevice pogam categoies of Chuch, Community, Council, Cultue of Life, Family and Youth. The winning enties ae endosed by the state deputy and submitted to the Supeme Council headquates fo consideation in the Intenational Sevice Pogam Awads. The judging at the Supeme Council headquates is done by a panel of judges appointed by the supeme knight. To have you council s best pogams consideed fo the Intenational Sevice Pogam Awads, complete and submit the State Council Sevice Pogam Awads Enty Fom (#STSP). The fom can also be found at kofc.og/foms and in the Council Repot Foms Booklet (#1436). Use one fom pe enty. The enty fom along with suppoting documentation must be sent diectly to you state council fo consideation. DO NOT SEND THE ENTRY TO THE SUPREME COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS. Check with you state deputy o state pogam diecto fo you juisdiction s deadline fo Sevice Pogam Awads enties. Winning pogams at the intenational level ae ecognized at the annual Supeme Convention in August. The gand knights of the winning councils, along with thei wives, ae invited to the convention as guests of the Supeme Council. Any council that is in good standing is eligible and encouaged to compete fo this distinguished hono. To assist you council in pepaing its enty fo the State Council Sevice Pogam Awads, please efe to the Sevice Pogam Awads booklet (#10173). The booklet contains helpful suggestions and examples of how you council should submit its enty. 23