The Knight Shield - July 2023 - Welcome Our New Grand Knight -- VINCE!!!!

    Summer is here and July is the start of our new K of C Fraternal year. It will be a busy one again this year with a new twist. A new Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight.

    First let me say, that I am truly honored to be the Grand Knight of SPOT Council #11689. It truly is a blessing to do this job now. Since I've been with the Knights we've had terrific leadership. Starting with Bruce Arnold and his three terms, I learned a lot from Bruce about negotiation and working with other SPOT groups. Then on to Art Krygowski with his passion for youth programs; Mike Hartel pulling together new social programs like Euchre and of course our latest three term grand knight Tom Gray who negotiated us thru the COVID times and on to normality once again. Tom was the right guy, at the right time for this council. So, I've got some terrific mentors and I’m confident they will bring me up to speed quickly. I’m open to constructive criticism from all of our members, officers or not. I want to listen to your ideas. This Council succeeds with all of us moving in the same direction. Our District Warden Ed Perkins has said that “our Community is better off because of the actions of the Knights of this Council”. And he’s absolutely right.

    A note to our new Deputy Grand Knight, Gary Skarb.  Gary and I have been on similar paths over the years starting out with the Men’s Group under Ken Dombrowski and moving on as officers in the Knights Council. He will be a terrific deputy grand knight and I know we will work well together. I thank him for stepping up and for the Brotherhood for embracing him.

    No one person does this job alone and I know the hard-working folks here in the council we'll continue to make this council successful. I'll work hard to do my part to assist and lead this great council onto continued success with your help Brothers. My passion is for giving young people a reason to come back to church and continue their relationship with Jesus.  And, in being part of the original Parish picnic program, I’d like to look for opportunities to restart that program. Appreciate the vote of confidence and look forward to getting to work even closer with each and every one of you.

God bless our Council and God Bless the

Knights of Columbus.

Vivat Jesus!

Vincent Ursini

A Parting Note from PGK Tom Gray

    As I wrote in my last newsletter article, I am truly thankful for the love and support I and my family have received during my time as Grand Knight. It was a difficult three years. Starting out with Covid, having meetings outside in the parking lot, Zoom meetings, coming up with drive-through fish fries with social distancing, the passing of my son, getting Covid three times surgeries, etc. The way this group responded was just outstanding. When someone is down, you lift them up and pick up the slack to keep things going. I am so grateful for the time I have served this Council. I truly did get a different perspective of the goodness that is in all of you people while leading this group.

    I have had many people come to me with kind words about the job I did as Grand Knight. While I do appreciate them, I do usually try to point out that I really did not do that much. It is this Council that is so great! I won’t go as far as to say that it runs itself...but it is pretty close. Just a little nudge here and there is all that is required. I have grown very close to some of you, and I am very thankful for this experience. It is wonderful to see all the great things that we can do when we, the men and women of this Council, work together toward the common goal of doing good works for others.

I feel truly blessed...and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.

Vivat Jesus!

Tom Gray

Past Grand Knight

From Brother Kurt Buhlinger