MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE OHIO STATE COUNCIL KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
State Deputy News and Notes
As we move forward into fall, every council should be thinking about October, designated by our Supreme Council and the Ohio State Council, as one of our two membership blitz Kevin Miller months each year. We should NOW be planning and organizing open With summer now a memory, our houses and church drives to promote families and parishes turn their our councils and recruit new attention to what is for many the “second New Year,” with the end of members. vacation season, the beginning of the school year, and summer events such These blitz months provide every council with a great opportunity to as parish festivals and picnics really showcase what our Order complete. Our Knights’ councils throughout Ohio are following suit, contributes to our communities, with their activities really starting to while offering good Catholic men an opportunity to play a part in our “ramp up” in September, even though our fraternal year begins July important work. So September is the month to prepare! Start by 1. Many councils have already begun their program year with great making a list of prospects – who are summer activities for their members the male leaders in your parishes and in support of their communities. who are NOT member of the Knights? How can we assist them in
SEPTEMBER 2017
their work? How can they specifically help us in building our parishes? Talk with your clergy and ask how they can assist you in getting men more involved in your parishes using the Knights as their blueprint. Don’t forget our most underused asset in council membership recruitment – our KofC Insurance agents, whose experience and expertise can be used to expose prospects to the many benefits exclusively available to them as members of our Order. Lastly, make sure to work closely with your fellow members, your most valuable resource. In developing our culture of inclusion and service. Remember, we must all be thinking about growing, evolving our Councils – all year round, but especially during our blitz months.
CHARITY | UNITY | FRATERNITY | PATRIOTISM
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parishioners – active in their faith, dedicated in service, bound together For you Grand Knights (and those by our great fraternity. That is the aspiring to become Grand Knights), true purpose of why we all serve – it is important to remember that the and why we need to always road to success is all about growth -- encourage other men to join us in the formula: Innovative and relevant this important cause. programming + An ever-evolving culture of inclusion and growth = There are many resources, marketing Successful Councils! And for us, materials, and instruction available success means building better to you to make your membership Catholic men: better sons, better campaign a success! Utilize both fathers, better husbands, better your District Deputy and Diocesan
Raising Awareness About Life Insurance
Membership Directors for help and assistance – together, working diligently, we can grow your councils and our Order! Good luck and thank you for your efforts! In His Honor, Vivat Jesus, Kevin Miller State Deputy
their opinion of the current economic conditions was somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable.
In other words, a majority of those surveyed were uncomfortable with the economy and the uncertainty it Patrick Murphy, FIC brings, yet they did not seek professional assistance. Maybe they Each September since 2003 has been spoke with their friends and family. Maybe they hoped the instability designated as Life Insurance would go away on its own. Maybe Awareness Month. Like most they did not know to whom to turn. awareness-raising campaigns, Life Insurance Awareness Month was If you fall into this category, please created because there is an remember that as a member of the overwhelming lack of understanding Knights of Columbus, you have a full of life insurance, its uses, its benefits, -time, professional agent you can call and its variations among the general your own. My primary responsibility public. Each year, the Life Insurance is the care and service of your Market Research Association family’s life insurance, retirement (LIMRA) puts out the results from a and long-term care needs. I’ll answer recent survey, and unfortunately, the your questions because I want your numbers they report continue to be decisions to be informed ones. I want discouraging. to help. A recent survey found that more than Another LIMRA statistic said 43 75 percent of people polled did not percent of people did not buy life have a personal financial advisor, insurance because they worry about even though 68 percent of them said “making the wrong decision.” Talk
with me, your agent, and, afterwards, you’ll understand that the only wrong decision was not purchasing sooner to protect your family’s future.
Take steps to protect your family and your financial future. Fraternally,
State Membership Frank Iannaggi
My brother Knights, a new season is upon us. We are now at the end of the first quarter of our fraternal year and it’s time to switch gears and turn to active council recruitment. Active recruitment means it time to implement your plan for the October Blitz. In just one short month, Knights of Columbus councils around the world will band together to grow the membership of our Order by turning to our local parishes. During the month of October, all councils throughout the Order will demonstrate unity by holding Church Recruitment Drives. This is your council's prime opportunity to reach out to Catholic families and extend the gift of membership in the Knights of Columbus. Your Council plan should include the following to ensure that your Church Recruitment Drive is a success:
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teams for the drive weekend. Make sure that enough council members are committed to covering each Mass. Conduct a First Degree Ceremonial within one week of the recruitment drive. If necessary, use the First Degree Video Production available via Officers Online.
2. The Implementation Phase • Arrange for a membership recruitment announcement to be made before or after Mass. • Have members, wearing Knights of Columbus branded attire so they are easily identified, positioned at the entrances of the Church or other appropriate area, to talk to prospects about joining and help them complete a Membership Document Form (#100) or a Prospect Card (#921A) if he’d rather learn more about the Knights before filling out a Membership Document.
date, time and location of the First Degree Ceremonial.
What Your Council Needs for a Church Drive To make your Church Recruitment Drive a success you will need the right tools. Here is a quick guide to what every council might need to have on hand for their recruitment drive: Membership form (#100): This is what it is all about: getting those prospects to sign up and join you as brother Knights. Next stop — the First Degree, and then your prospects and their families can start being active within your council. Prospect Cards (#921A): These 3”x5” cards will help your council collect the contact information on prospects who are looking for more information on your council before completing a Membership Document.
If your council follows the plan as outlined above it will ensure a 1. The Preparation Phase successful recruitment drive with 3. The Follow-Up Phase • Get permission from your pastor many new members to help the • Within 48 HOURS, council to hold a Church Recruitment council in its mission to grow the members must contact every Drive Weekend after all Masses. order and promote the new Domestic prospect who completed a form • Contact your council's field agent Church. Please remember that a (#100) or expressed interest in to get his assistance. joining during the Implementation successful drive as some financial • Advertise the drive in the parish incentive for your Council. These can Phase. bulletin. • Inform prospects of the date, time be found on our website under • Order your Church Recruitment membership incentives. and location of the open house Drive Kit in advance and invite families to attend as Vivat Jesus • Organize your members into well. Also, let them know the % YTD GAIN TOWARD SUPREME GOAL (2250)
Membership Numbers As of 9/8/2017
State General Programs
Council program and activity is a RECRUITING opportunity. “If you build it, they will come,” is only half of the job. The second half is to use those activities to actively invite Rod Anderson Catholic men to not only join in our WOW! It is really great to see all the activities, but to join our Order! Remember, just ASK! Council Activity Reports submitted for the first 2 months of the year on Activities and recruiting are a natural the State website ( http:// pairing of our service and charitable kofcohio.org/ ). With most of the works. Asking eligible Catholic men Council program planning done for in our parishes and communities to the year, and activities well under work with us in these endeavors and way, it is now time to put into also to join with us fraternally as practice the principle that EVERY
members of the Knights is easy when they come out to participate in our activities. Is your Council inviting non-members to participate in your many programs and activities? This is one of the easiest recruiting techniques!
Youth Programs
squires to review Robert’s Rules of Order, how to run a meeting, making motions, planning events, and general leadership and public speaking. Counselors should have already received information about this event.
successful.
Stewart Vetter
It’s not too early to schedule a local gym for your Free Throw The air has turned cooler and the Championship. This is good advice gridiron is alive on Friday nights. The for the district deputies also. You unofficial end of summer is great time could also prepare your press release for youth programs; end of summer and fliers to ensure success. picnics, back to school party, postfootball meals, end of season baseball SQUIRES games, soccer challenge, etc. There The State Squires’ Officers met on are so many possibilities. August 5 in New Lexington. I’d like Council level Soccer Challenge events to thank MacGahan council 1065 and Jim Orecchio for hosting. These should be taking place this month. young men put in lots of hard work to Please notify your district deputy immediately if you are hosting a local develop an exciting program and competition. If more than 1 council is calendar that we hope will keep our participating in the soccer challenge, current Squires involved and grow the order in Ohio. the DD will have to host a district competition in October.
If you haven’t talked to your local school about the substance abuse poster competition or the essay contest, there’s still time. The time line on those events is for later in the fraternal year but they need to be planned soon to make them
The State Basketball tournament is being combined with the Leadership Seminar again this year. Both events will be September 9 – 10 in Danville. The basketball tournament will begin at 1pm. The leadership seminar will take place in the evening. This seminar is a great opportunity for
Culture of Life Programs
purchase cribs for families in need, coordinate with a pregnancy center and hold a baby shower for a woman
Brett Gissel
Some dates to keep in mind for planning Culture Of Life events:
October is Respect Life Month. Plan to do something at your parishes • to promote the respect for human life during October. Some suggestions are to hold a prayer service, promote • and participate in 40 Days For Life, hold a diaper drive, collect money to •
September 9 - National Day Of Remembrance For Aborted Children September 27 –November 5 - 40 Days For Life campaign October – Respect Life Month
So keep those activities reports coming, and don’t forget that every activity is also a recruiting activity just ask non-members to help out, and before you know it, you will have lots of new members!
Squires’ activity reports are due to the respective State Officer by September 10. These can include any activities done since the end of reporting last year. The write up can make the difference between another program and an award winning program. Coming up in October, the Squires will square off on the gridiron at the Football Hall of Fame in Canton for the State Flag Football Tournament. Information about this event will be coming soon. Wouldn’t October 7 be a great opportunity for our councils to schedule a trip to the Hall of Fame and cheer on our Squires at the same time?
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January 19 – March For Life
When planning activities, I suggest using the Culture Of Life programming page on Supreme’s website. The activity should be one that focuses on “defending the right to life of every human being, from the moment of conception to natural death” and involve volunteering, educating, advocating, donating, and praying.
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Council Tim Mangan
Brother Knights, the first reporting period is now over and some councils have turned in their activity reports for both July and August. Many reports have been turned in on outdoor activities such as golf outings, council picnics, parades and cook outs. Other activities have been recognition or appreciation dinners, raising funds for charity and of course council newsletters. Some of you have sent me copies of your council’s newsletters. I have enjoyed reading the articles and seeing all the wonderful pictures included in the newsletters. If you have not sent me a copy of your council’s newsletter and would like to, you can send me a copy at my e-mail address which is tim@tdltool.com . Now, October is coming up and we
all know it is a big month for membership. Your Council by now should have met with your pastor to discuss holding a Church drive and open house. If you have not met with him, you need to do so now! One important tool your council can have when you hold a membership drive or open house or when you are recruiting in general, is a council brochure. A council brochure can act like a business card for your council. It is something that you can pass out to a prospective member and he can take it home with him. It gives him something to read at his leisure. A council brochure is a great way to tell a prospective member about your council’s activities. It lets him know more about the group of men he will be joining and how he might fit in. Send me a copy of your updated Council brochure and upload it with your Activity Report under the Council Programs for credit!
You can choose what programs and activities you want to promote in the brochure. Remember to consider the following: service programs, awards earned by the council, scholarships the council offers to young people, charitable contributions, and a brief history of the council. It’s your council, your story to tell. Good luck in growing your council!
Support Our Seminarians Ed Olenhouse
Some questions came up at the Diocesan Tour Meetings in July about the “S.O.S.” Activities this year. Here are my responses to some of them. The name change from “Pennies for Heaven” to “Support Our Seminarians” was made to reflect the expansion of the program to the broader Church, and include our parishioners in the effort, not just at our own Council meetings. I believe that our parishioners, given the opportunity, will step up and contribute even more to help the Knights support every seminarian with ‘out-of-classroom’ financial needs.
parishioners need to know is that he seminarians are not allowed to work while in school. Through the S.O.S funds we raise with the parishioners’ support, provides the essential out-ofclassroom needs not supplied by the Diocese, such as . medical and dental assistance, auto repairs, tires, fuel, emergency travel, personal Seminarians get their room, board and needs, and in some cases may include education paid for by your Diocese some scholarship funds, all through the Bishop. But what the determined by the Bishop or the
Diocesan Vocations Director. Without meeting these needs, some seminarians may be unable to continue on their path to become OUR future priests. With support from our parishioners, the Knights will make a difference. Seminarians are the future of our Church.
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State Website: You’re Only A Click Away Robert Gilliland
Using New Email Addresses for Emailing Form to State AND Supreme!!! The State Council has several new “Hot” email addresses, one for each type of form submitted(Council and District Deputy). The State Deputy now has a special StateDeputy@kofcohio.org email address for you to send forms or Council communications to the State Deputy. It is preferred that everyone use these new email address to send the respective Council and District forms to both the State Council and Supreme Council. These new email address AUTOMATICALLY SEND TO SUPREME, and they are
considered “Hot” emails. Council Level email addresses (Forwards to both State and Supreme): form100@kofcohio.org (New Member Form 100) form185@kofcohio.org (Report of Council Officers)
form133@kofcohio.org (Notice of intent to start a New Council) form136@kofcohio.org (Notice of institution of a new Council) form133@kofcohio.org (Notice of intent to start a New Council)
form365@kofcohio.org (Report of Program Directors)
form450@kofcohio.org (Degree Exemplification Report)
form1295@kofcohio.org (Council Audit)
New State Level email addresses:
form1728@kofcohio.org (Fraternal Survey) formsp7@kofcohio.org (Columbian Award Application)
StateDeputy@kofcohio.org identical to CouncilForms@kofcohio.org
StateMembership@kofcohio.org - to be used to email the State Membership Director (Frank form2629@kofcohio.org (Report of Round Table Coordinator) Iannaggi) and State Insurance Liaison (James Valent). form2630@kofcohio.org (Round Table Report) Please let me know if you have any District Deputy Level email questions about these emails. addresses: Thank you for all you In His Honor!
OHIO KNIGHTS IN ACTION
REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES, AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES FROM ACROSS THE GREAT STATE OF OHIO
State Family Campout: 50th Annual Campout in Celina 2018 Louis Hohman, Past Campout Chairman, Council 1362 All Past Campout Chairmen will chair the 50th Annual Ohio Family Campout to be held at Mercer County Fairground in Celina, Ohio the week of July 23 thru 29th, 2018.
To better accommodate K of C families, a reduction in fees for camping and the Saturday fund day. A catered meal is on the agenda for Friday and Saturday night. For registration forms contact Lou Hohman at lhohman@woh.rr.com. Ohio K of C website will publish info and registration form in the near future.
Josephenium Seminarian Chris Crum, a member of New Albany Council 10941, carrying the Cross at the Fatima procession a few nights ago. Quite the honor !
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