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The holidays are coming. Time to sign up for bell ringing. This year we will be ringing the bells for the Salvation Army on Saturday, December 16th at Walmart in Michigan City.
Click here to sign-up for a slot: https://signup.com/go/PuYkesp
A message from the Grand Knight
The second quarter of the 2023-2024 fiscal year has arrived. Time continues to move too fast. The council is moving forward quickly with a busy September which included the Tootsie Roll drive and the Mum Sale. The Tootsie Roll drive will continue until November so if you are interested in donating to this wonderful event, please see any Knight and they will assist you. We will be selling Tootsie Rolls in the Legacy Center through November as well. October will continue to be just as busy with ASAP program (Baby Bottle project), Red Cross Blood Drive, Knights Movie Night, Trunk and Treat for the QAS school children, and Boo in the Zoo. The ASAP program will conclude October 28th & 29th with the returned Baby Bottles with donations contained in each. All of these events could not have been conducted without all of the Knights and their wives. The women of this council work very hard to assist in all of these events and I thank all of them for their dedication and love in helping others. As I noted in the last newsletter, “Everyone who has committed themselves to doing “Good for Others” should be very proud of all of the accomplishments.”.
As we move closer to the end of the year our work is not done and plans for a new project is in the works. More later. We have continued our membership drives for 2023-2024. We have or will visit every parish in Michigan City providing parishioners with information about becoming a Knight and why joining the Knights of Columbus is so important, especially in these troubled times. Please contact any Knight if you are interested in getting more information. The first-year dues are free if you join online. This following link will also provide a great deal of information as well, https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/join/join-kofc.html . We will be conducting an Exemplification for our new members soon. We have 5 new members so far this fiscal year. We will also be ringing the bells for the annual Salvation Red Kettle drive in December so look for us and remember those in need when you provide donations to that kettle. The Knights Annual Christmas party is fast approaching as well. Before we know it Advent will be here.
Great team, great partnership, and wonderful group of Catholic Gentlemen. God Bless all of you. Be safe!
Vivat Jesus!!
Bruce Garwood
Grand Knight
Our Council Receives Double Star Council Award
District Deputy Marty Campanella presents the Knights of Columbus Double Star Ward to Grand Knight Bruce Garwood.
Earning the “Star Council Award” is an annual recognition from the Supreme office of the Knights of Columbus. The Double Star designation means we have greatly exceeded the requirements for the annual recognition.
The requirements cover a variety of efforts. These include membership increases, community service, parish service and faith-based activities. This year the members of our council conducted many activities which can be seen by clicking on the Activities link at qas.org/kofc.
“These men demonstrate that Christ is alive in our parish. On a daily basis, they practice their faith, by being the example of a Catholic gentleman” said Grand Knight Bruce Garwood.
Trunk-or-Treat
On October 27th Knights enjoyed assisting with the annual Trunk-or-Treat.
Every year the councils in the state of Indiana collect Christmas gifts to help fill the wishes of the kids that stay at Gibault. The following “wish list” is this years’ current list. This list is a guide, but if you want to give something other than a listed item, that’s okay too. Please do not wrap the gift. That will be taken care of as they are processed. If you would like to give a monetary donation instead, make the check payable to “Gibault” and on the memo line write “Christmas gift”.
Some kids don’t get to go home for Christmas and some shouldn’t as they come from broken homes and at some point aren’t even wanted or should not be going back into that environment. Our council has come such a long way to support Gibault over the years in time, donations of monies, and especially these gifts. We started a luggage push for the kids a few years back when we found out that the kids come to Gibault with only a garbage bag with their belongings. A piece of luggage given to them as their own, especially when they are able to leave, gives them so much more self-esteem moving forward in their life.
Gibault was founded in 1921 by the Indiana Knights of Columbus as a home for wayward boys. Over the years, Gibault has evolved to meet the needs of at-risk youth everywhere. Today, Gibault serves boys and girls and has provided life-changing opportunities for over 10,000 children and their families. Gibault serves children with mild emotional disturbances, aggressive and oppositional behaviors, substance abuse issues, victims and perpetrators that exhibit sexually harmful/reactive behavior, learning disabled children, and children with a variety of clinical issues in residential and community-based environments.
This year our drive for the kids begins on November 6th. Knights and others can bring gifts to council meetings or drop them off at the Scrip booth or Connections Desk. We will then take the gifts to the Fr. Sorin Assembly Christmas Dinner in La Porte on Friday, December 1st. Last year Gibault needed a trailer to haul all gifts back from the local councils at the 4th degree assembly. Let's see if we can do even better this year!
Knights of Columbus License Plate
Indiana Knights of Columbus Charity Fund Inc. Special Group Recognition License Plates for your vehicles (cars, light trucks, RV and motorcycles) are available for purchase from your local BMV office.
These plates can be ordered through IN.gov/BMV, at BMV branches, at BMV Connect kiosks, or BMV partial service providers. The plates will cost $30 in addition to applicable taxes and registration fees. A $15 supplemental fee and a $15 group fee is due for each Knights of Columbus plate that is purchased. The BMV will return the $15 group fee for each license plate sold to the Indiana K of C Charity Fund Inc. This plate may be personalized for an additional $45.
The Indiana K of C Charity Fund Inc is Indiana State Council's 501(c)(3) established to help people in urgent need situations; disaster relief, coats for kids, food for families, ultrasound machines, and other similar needs.