2 minute read
Getting To Know The Knopik Family: Helping Wherever They Can At Our Lady Of Lourdes
The Little Falls faith community is blessed with many wonderful examples of stewardship in action. For Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners Lance and Dawn Knopik, that active stewardship takes place in several ways.
“Stewardship, for us, is simply seeing a need, knowing we could help in that area, and getting the job done, whether that be with our time, talent or treasure,” Dawn says.
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Lance and Dawn can be seen helping out wherever they can at Our Lady of Lourdes and Mary of Lourdes School — whether it’s Lance helping around the building and grounds and serving on the Parish Council, or Dawn scheduling servers and serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.
The couple has taught Confirmation classes for the last eight years. Dawn teaches art and religion at Mary of Lourdes, and has served on the school board and the Parent and School Association in the past.
“With my teaching background, I have been drawn to helping out the school as much as I can,” Dawn says. “In teaching the students about the faith, I also grow in mine!”
Over the last 30 years, Lance has lent his time and talents to help with the youth group.
“I enjoy sharing my expertise in helping our parish family and taking on small maintenance projects around the Church, as well as helping our young people grow in their faith,” Lance says.
The Knopiks have six children — Kerstin, Thomas, Ben, Peter, Luke and Nicole. Between family obligations and all of their activities, it might seem easy to let faith take a back seat. But Lance and Dawn don’t let work and other activities get in the way of fully living out their faith.
“We have raised our kids to know our faith is our priority,” Dawn says. “Our primary goal is to get to heaven and to help our children get there.”
Lance and Dawn both have a true love for Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, calling it home.
“Having grown up in this parish and now having our children grow in their faith here, is a humbling experience,” Lance says. “I love the people, the vibrancy and the family atmosphere.”
The Knopik family enjoys camping, kayaking and watching movies. They also enjoy being involved with sports and music, and, most importantly, being involved at Our Lady of Lourdes.
“Our Lady of Lourdes is where our friends are,” Dawn says. “It’s where we feel part of a community. It’s where we want to spend our time and teach our kids that being a member of the Church is not just going to Mass on the weekend, but it is about community, working for a common good and making our faith central in our lives.”
Lance and Dawn believe that in giving, they receive. They feel very blessed by the parish community and are honored to be involved in any way they can. They encourage others to find their place in their parish and give of their time, talent and treasure.
