Knightly News & Views July 2016
Knights of Columbus Father Henry Kemper Council 6409, Kerrville, Texas
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Brothers,
Thanks for bearing with me as I work my way through some physical problems. I'm looking forward to a great year as our younger members move into officer positions and bring fresh ideas and energy to the council. We'll miss the youthful vigor of Father Scott but we were blessed to have him and his inspiration. Praise the Lord. And a special thanks to Steve Erickson, Knight of the Year, for his leadership on the Shrimp dinner and other projects.
Let me also say that without our ladies and the work they do for the council we would be lacking the life they bring to all our events. Thank you so much for being the helpmates you are to our council as you are to your families.
Vivat Jesus,
G.K. Roger Holt
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July Calendar:
July 6: Installation of Officers and July Covered Dish Dinner Social. Msgr. Walsh Hall. 6:30 Set-up, 7:00 pm dinner
July 9: 4th Degree Officer Installation 5pm mass at Notre Dame. Dinner and ceremony at Notre Dame Social Center after mass. Reservations required.
July 10: Blood Drive 8am to 1pm. Bloodmobile at Social Center.
July 13: Knights sponsor Bingo at VA center at 2 pm. Please arrive early. Information? Call Frank Bertagnolli (896-6976).
July 20: Officer Meeting 7:00 pm. Open to all members.
July 30: Corporate Communion 5pm Saturday mass
July 30-31: Pro-life diaper drive
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CRITICAL BLOOD DRIVE
Brothers,
On Sunday, July 10, the Bloodmobile from South Texas Blood Center will be in front of the social center from 8:15 am to 1 pm. There is a critical shortage of blood in the San Antonio area at the current time. Consider donating, and remind our youth, 16 and over, that they are eligible to donate. Many youth donate at school but with the summer, there are no school drives. And encourage all those other young healthy people in the parish to roll up their sleeves for the least of their brethren. Give life. Give blood.
John Vece
Blood drive coordinator
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Pro-Life News
Please join us in helping young families in our community by supporting the 8th Annual Pro-Life Diaper Drive! We will have a collection table at each of the three main entrances to Notre Dame Catholic Church following each Mass on July 30-31, August 6-7, and August 13-14. You can drop off a package of diapers, wipes, or a cash donation. Cash will be used to purchase additional diapers and baby wipes, and all donations will be provided to St. Vincent dePaul Society for distribution.
Also, please volunteer a few minutes of your time to man a table following at least one Mass. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the time Mass is expected to end to set up. You may sign up for a time slot to volunteer at the KC Council 6409 website: http://kofcknights.org/CouncilSite/index.asp?CNO=6409
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Monsignor Walsh (KofC) hall is available for rentals at reasonable rates. Contact Juan Roman at 830-370-1747 for more information, prices and reservations.
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VA Hospital Bingo
Brother Knights,
Instead of criticizing the content of this report or "killing the messenger", please hear me out. When I first took over this ministry from Brother Sam Barker, who along with Brother Tom Fowler, did a fantastic job of leadership and service for many years, I said that participation was more than just writing of a check each month to pay for the coupon books, that are given out to during bingo.
When Father Scott came to our first meeting he talked about VISIBILITY and I thought to myself thank you God, but the message seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Shame on us Brothers. I know that I'm speaking to the "choir", but in this case not even the "choir" is listening. The sad thing is that we have veterans in the "choir" that should have a better understanding of what some of our veterans in the hospital have gone through and show compassion towards them.
I accepted it as it is back in February of 2015 when I took over the Ministry. About four months ago I transferred my Elks Membership from the lodge in Carlsbad to the local lodge. They sponsor Bingo up at the VA hospital the first Tuesday of each month. I have volunteered to help them since February and they have between 15 to 18 Elk members each month participating. All you can see through out the rec. room is a sea of purple vests. Brothers! That's what you call VISIBILITY. They have about the same membership in the lodge as we have in our Council. We're lucky if we have 4 or 5 dedicated Brothers that show up for our bingo, which for the most part is the same group month after month. I'm very thankful for their participation and dedication. They are very much appreciated not only by myself, but especially by the Veterans we serve. Brothers this is not my Ministry nor that of the small group that do show up; it is a COUNCIL Ministry. I've stated before, not only do we try to make their day just a bit brighter by our presence but we ourselves go home with that "fuzzy" feeling in our hearts, knowing that, in some way, we did make a difference.
All I'm asking is that each of you come out and spend 2 &1/2 hours, twice a year. If you own your own business, "been there done that" and still had time for my Family, my Church and other worthy organization in my
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Community. A fifty plus, hour week was a norm for me. Brothers if you can't make time to come help a couple times a year I will say a prayer for you. For those of you that areworkingfor someone else, have you asked your boss for a couple of hours off? If you are denied I will personally take your boss out to lunch, then give him a tour of the hospital. I promise he or she will have a change of heart. For the rest of you, what is your excuse?
Brothers, the Veteran patients in the hospital as well as many of our Brother Knights have made great sacrifices so that the rest of us can enjoy the Freedoms that we have in this Great Country today. The least we can do is show a bit of compassion and appreciation to them by showing up and spending time with them. We owe it to them. It is a win-win situation for all of us.
I'm of a strong opinion that if we do not want to participate in larger numbers "VISIBILITY", " VISIBILITY" that we just give up this Ministry.
I make no apologies to anyone for having written this. It needed to be said, now the ball is in "your court".
Let's give a special thanks to the Brothers that did show up in June, Brothers Ralph Real and Melvin Jones. Melvin did an outstanding job calling, since I had an appointment and was late. Several of our regulars had doctor's appointment and could not make it.
Next bingo is July 13, ALWAYS the second Wednesday of each month.
Thanks and God Bless,
Brother Frank Bertagnolli 896-6796 (cell) 303-881-0472
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Good of the Order
Please continue to pray for the healing power and comfort of the Holy Spirit
for our loved ones: Gene Lang, Enrique_ta Roman, Ponciano Rangel, Barbara Nemec, Don Kelly, Roger Holt, Butch Connally, Maria Galvan, Bea Hardey, Morgan Kelly, Bill Coplen, Carl Stakes, Rudy Garcia, Tom Fowler, Bill Treybig, Frank Moniz, Stephanie Popeck, and Elaine Jackson.
Please say a special prayer for brother Bill Coplen who is in serious condition.
Be sure to let us know of any brothers or members of their families to be remembered in our prayers.
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Council Directory
Chaplain to be appointed
Grand Knight Roger Holt 634-7074
Deputy G.K. Fernando Gutierrez 238-3712
Chancellor Melvin Jones
Recorder John Vece 896-0752
Advocate David Pillatzke
Treasurer Mike Douville 370-2441
Financial Secretary Juan Limon 257-0374
Warden Rolando Maldonado 210-643-8165
Outside Guard Henry Lyon 270-821-9231
Inside Guard Amos Valles
Trustee Jesse Garza
Trustee Steve Erickson 792-3270
Trustee Raymond Limon
Lecturer to be appointed
Editor John Vece 896-0752
District Deputy Scott Scheidt 210-823-3525
Insurance Agent Tim Carder 512-497-6572
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July Birthdays
Grant Mein (1st), James Wallace (1st), Don Kelly (4th), Mario Garcia (5th), Lawrence Brooks #84 (6th), Armando Juarez (8th), Tom Fowler #94 (10th), Doug Harris #80 (10th), Dcn Sonny Kaufhold (10th), Victor Dietzel (13th), Roger Holt (15th), Robert Secrest (17th), Oscar Vasquez (18th), Howie Dotterweich (19th), 'Butch' Connally (23rd), Thomas Adams (24th), Steve Gaydou (26th), Jerry Garcia (27th), James Loveless (30th), Melvin Jones (31st)
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Council 6409 website
http://kofcknights.org/CouncilSite/index.asp?CNO=6409
Council 6409 on Facebook
Kerrvillekofc
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