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

 

Tom & Renee Gray

Had a great time at the Knights of Columbus conference on Mackinaw Island. Beautiful weather and wonderful people.

The Knight Shield - June 2023

    June has arrived and summer is right around the corner.  School will be ending soon and graduations and wedding season is here.

    We had our second round of nominations and elections at our May meeting. Below are your officers for the 2023-4 fraternal year. A huge thank you to the outgoing and incoming officers for the gift of their time and talent to lead this great council

    Kurt Buhlinger and I are preparing to represent the council at the state convention on Mackinac Island this week. I will report out on the state of the order at our next meeting.  Speaking of our next meeting on June 8th, it is our pot luck and awards night. We will share in a meal. Then there will be an “abbreviated” meeting just to take care of business.  We will then begin the awards portion. I will be sending out a sign up like last year for the pot luck so keep an eye out for it. If you cannot do the online sign up please do not hesitate to call or email me and I will put you down. Also if you are unable to bring a dish, you are still welcome to come, just let me know so we have a count for the chicken.  

    As my time as Grand Knight is coming to a close, I have had many people approach me with kind words. I do appreciate them; however, I want you all to know it has been my honor and privilege to serve you and this council as part of the leadership team. There is no way one person could do the work required to make this council what it is.  I will speak more on this at the pot luck dinner but for those unable to attend I wanted you all to hear it. This council has become a family to me. I truly believe that is why we call each other Brother Knights. During my three years I had some rough times, and the men and women of this council stepped up and carried on when I couldn’t.  Between our son passing, getting Covid (a few times), surgeries, etc. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank you all for the love and support my family has received.

God bless you and all that you do!

Vivat Jesus!
Tom Gray

Road Cleanup -Saturday May 6th. 8:00 am.

Road Cleanup -Saturday May 6th. 8:00 am in the North parking lot of the church.

Fraternal Benefit with Worthy Insurance Agent Dale Jacks

Brothers all, our Worthy Insurance Agent Dale Jacks is going have a fraternal benefit presentation during our general meeting next week. So if you are new to the order or even been with us a while it will be informative to know what our order has to offer.

Hope to see you all there next Thursday May 11th, 6:30 meal 7:30 meeting. The fraternal benefit presentation will be incorporated into the meeting.

--

Vivat Jesus!

Tom Gray

Grand Knight

The Knight Shield - May 2023

    Spring has arrived, but it is Michigan, so you never know.     

    We have completed our busy Lenten season. I for one am looking forward to a little rest after that! We did a lot this Lent. We had the fish fries, Easter meat sales, Easter egg hunt, and the MI Drive.

    We had a visit from Anthony Mastronardi at our last general meeting, if you remember a few years ago, a Dakota High School hockey player had a tragic injury. We donated to his cause to help support his rehab. He came in with his mother and talked to us about his rehab and what he is doing now. He is now twenty something and making slow progress. He is getting some movement in his legs and arms. He is attending college and working on his therapy.  What an inspirational kid! His attitude is just great, and I expect to see great things out of this young man.

    We also had a special election to fill the vacant 2 year trustee seat. I want to thank Rich Miller for accepting this position.  

    This May will complete our officer election process at our general meeting. We will be taking a 2nd round of nominations at that meeting, then having the election. If you are interested in taking on a leadership role in the council or have any questions, let me know. It is perfectly acceptable and encouraged to self-nominate for a position.

 Nominations from the April Meeting:

 

  

    Please see the newsletter for the attached note for information about our "field trip" organized by our Worthy Advocate, "a retired teacher," to the Capuchin Center.  Also in the newsletter is an article from our Worthy Treasurer / Fish Fry Czar.

    After this lent and coming close to the end of my third term as Grand Knight I feel compelled to mention how proud I am of this council. We did great at the fish fries, a real testament to how great you men and your wives are.  Everyone just jumps in and has fun while doing something worth while. Bringing people into the church even just for a meal could be the first step to getting them back at mass after Covid. We did really well for the Easter meat sales, more people back at mass and having Easter meals together probably fueled that. We also did really well for the MI Drive. Thank you all for the efforts put in this Lent!

God bless you and all that you do!

Vivat Jesus!

Tom Gray