State Deputy’s Report

Great News!!!  We have reached our original fundraising goal to place an ultrasound machine at the Wyandotte Clinic in Kansas City, Ks. But we must not quit now. Many more of our unborn are in danger of abortion and we must do our best to answer their cry for life by placing additional ultrasound machines in Kansas. I extend heartfelt thanks to each and every council and Brother Knight who has had a hand in raising funds or donating funds for this worthwhile project. When the State Council started this process last winter we were uncertain of the timetable for collecting this amount of funds. I first wrote to you in mid-February for your help and your response was overwhelming that we must fight for the unborn and do our best to appeal to their mothers to give life to their unborn child. Many children will be saved from the hands of abortionists because of your hard work and generosity, and you are to be commended! Isn't it a great feeling to be part of such a life-saving project?
As you recall, reports indicate that up to 90% of women who are considering abortion choose life after seeing an ultrasound image of their child. With this in mind, the State Officers of Kansas State Council would like to work toward placing another ultrasound machine in another diocese within the State of Kansas. I invite you to send funds to our State Treasurer and we will continue to accumulate these funds in a separate account toward the purchase of a second machine. Please be sure to notate on the memo line of your check that it is for the ultrasound machine program. Supreme Council has not yet set a limit on the number of machines that we can request matching funds for, so the State Officers feel this program should be continued. We are currently researching the best location to place the next machine and more information will be forthcoming in the future regarding this. Vivat Jesus!
Fraternally,
Francis  Drouhard
State Deputy

A  Father's  Gift

On March 26,2007, Kevin Gallagher of Spokane, Wash. was in the hospital delivery room as his wife, Dorothy, gave birth to their daughter, Abigail---a name that means 'father's gift". Gallagher was in the final days of his battle with advanced lung cancer, and complications from the illness left him mostly blind, unable to see the baby.
Nevertheless, he insisted on being present, if only to hold his third child and to be around as much as possible before the cancer took his life---which happened little more that a month after Abigail's birth. Dorothy tries to have family gatherings around Kevin's birthday or the anniversary of his death. He liked to have people come together. Whereas Dorothy described her husband as not much of a "joiner”, he was deeply committed to the Knights of Columbus. With the assistance of their Knights insurance agent, Dave Bailey, the Gallagher’s fortunately purchased life insurance for themselves and their children in 2005. Bailey was a serious guy who convinced the Gallagher’s to make room in their monthly budget for life insurance, and in the process he became a friend of the family.
By the fall the following year, Dorothy discovered she was pregnant; one month later her husband was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer. The disease was too far along for surgery to make sense. Kevin had to quit working, but he put their financial affairs in order and make sure Dorothy understood the family finances and how the insurance they had purchased would be enough to cover the family's short-term costs. Dorothy says, “I know many people--some who are related--who don’t have life insurance and haven't taken that step”. On Kevin's deathbed, his fellow council members arranged to have Kevin inducted into the order's Fourth Degree. The word” Sir" was added to his name on the gravestone, along with the emblem of the Order. And last year, Knights in Spokane charted a new council and named it after Kevin's favorite saint, St. Michael the Archangel. The survivor's benefits helped to pay for the funeral and for $150,000 in unpaid medical bills and other expenses.
"I want his death to be something positive," Dorothy says "and I want to be an advocate for life insurance. Without it, I would have ended up in bankruptcy, questioning how I would have raised the kids."

Calendar of   Events
June 26...Stegman Wedding Dance..HELP!!
June 27...Dennis Scheck..Van Driver
July 3...Reunion..HALL
July 4...Justin Banning..Van Driver
July 5...Guild Meeting..7:15pm
July 10..Wedding dance..HELP!!!!
July 11...Dan Stremel..Van Driver
July 12...Officers Meeting..7:30pm
July 16..Ginther Wedding dance..HELP!!!
July 18..Joe Gleason..Van Driver
Julyn 24..Burough Wedding Dance..HELP!!!
July 25..Tim Burke..Van Driver
July 25..Regional Meeting..HALL????
July 27-28..Bloodmobil..Hall
July 31...Parade, Bar-B-Que in the park
Aug.1..Kevin Lix..Van Driver

Grand Knights Report
Can I Help You?  Do You need Help?  What Can I Do? Some big questions we don’t hear much of here. We held a function at the hall the other evening. Fed around 240 people. Except for 4 of us and Gary, Linda had to depend on family members of hers to help out with the dinner.
I may have an advantage on a lot of you. I converted to the catholic faith in the spring of 1994. Before that I never attended any church. It was a lot easier sleeping in on Sundays. I have been divorced since around 2000. I guess 2 good things came out of that marriage. My daughter and religion coming back into my life. That fall I was asked by a Knight to join his council, #2955. Soon I found problems attending meetings with responsibilities at home. Back then there were so many knights that were active and men I looked up to who have slowly disappeared from being active.. Help on functions and attendance at meetings have really dwindled.
I have been your grand Knight the last 2 years and it has been quite an experience. I have developed a stronger respect towards the Knights of Columbus and its leaders. Every time I come to a meeting or function or Friday night meal it's about a 40 mile round trip for me. I know of some knights who are just a few blocks away who we might not see until stag night. Since joining the Knights it’s been amazing watching the success of the Order, what it stands for and what it accomplishes. I look back, prior to joining the Knights and what my life was consisting of and frankly “I am Proud to be a Knight!"
Brothers we have some young men taking over the Leadership of YOUR Council and they deserve our support. If you read or hear of them needing help with something....They Mean It!
It has been a pleasure serving as your Grand Knight the past 2 years and I will be here supporting and helping our new Leadership. I hope you will too!! (4 Wedding Dances Coming Up!!)
Vivat Jesus
Dave Littler

Knight of the month...Larry Noller
Family of the month...Dave Kalschuer Family

Knights   working together

At the recent State Convention, as always, the main topic of business centered around retention and membership. They stressed better communication within our council. With better communication, maybe we can get more involvement from more of our members. Our retention team will be working on getting the committee that Dave was working on over a year ago, in place. Over the past 2 years, 22 members have left our council, either by their choice or being suspended for delinquent dues. Remember a couple of years ago; we were behind $9000 in delinquent dues. A big dent has been made into that figure and we hope to get closer to getting this mess cleaned up by the end of the year. Dave has made contact with a lot of you who are behind in dues and has offered different deals to you to help you and us out. But a lot of results are still missing. Remember when you joined the Knights, you were automatically insured for $2000 in Life Insurance. $25 in yearly dues for $2000 in Life Insurance...not a bad deal...All of you will be visited, in the near future, by a Brother Knight, to talk with you (on dues if necessary), projects going on at the knights, any ideas, complaints, suggestions you wish to express to our officers, involving Council #2955, and any job you maybe could help out with. Like bartending, grilling, helping Linda with dinners, Bingo worker, tootsie roll volunteer, Oktoberfest helper...  We need better communication and involvement within our council. To add to that, so does the woman’s organizations. Maybe your wife would like to get involved with the Alter Society if she isn't already. State Convention will be here a little less than a year. and we're going to need a lot of help from a lot of you.