The Explorer VOL. 17 NO. 10
http://www.kansas-kofc.org
A Publication Of The Kansas Knights of Columbus
November 2013
STATE DEPUTY’S MESSAGE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Four months of the fraternal year have been completed. In six months, we will gather in Manhattan for the State Convention. Every council should have in place its plan of action to achieve its membership and programming goals required to receive the “Star Council” award. Now is the time to put your plans into action. Membership is the key to the growth and success of the Order. Without new members we can grow stale. Both the Supreme and Kansas State Council offer a number of incentives to recruiters, Grand Knights, and Councils for membership growth; however, the greatest reward is when a new member takes an active role in his council and the Church. The Knights of Columbus is about service to our Church, families, youth, communities, and each other. Let’s do our part by recruiting new members and getting them active. November is a special time to remember those who have gone before us guided by faith when we observe All Saints Day and All Souls Day. On Veterans Day, we honor those who have served in protecting our country. Later this month, we gather in Thanksgiving for all of the blessings bestowed on each of us. As we gather with family and friends throughout this month we should thank God for the many gifts he has given us. Membership in the Knights means a commitment to serve. Let us take it one step further and share this gift of membership with others. Melany and I wish you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
NOVEMBER: Remember Deceased Members with Memorial Mass 1 Deadline for DD’s to return Religious Education Fund Donations & Tickets To State Religious Education Fund Chairman, Paul Haverkamp 1 Submit checks and Commitment to Humanities (Tootsie Roll) Report To State Treasurer, Dale A. Weber 1 Deadline to order Free Throw Contest Kit from Supreme 2 Major Degree at Greeley #1901 3 Major Degree at Garden Plain #2937 10 Major Degree at Lyons #7422 17 Major Degree at Oswego -Chetopa #7441 17 Major Degree at Dodge City #2955 18 Major Degree at Leawood - Nativity #11067
Vivat Jesus, Scott A. Maurath State Deputy
DECEMBER: Share the Light of Advent by keeping Christ in Christmas 3 Light up for Christ 7&8 Mid-year District Deputy Meeting in Wichita 7 Drawing for Religious Education Fund Prizes 14 4th Degree Exemplification at Pittsburg 15 Deadline to submit Commitment to Humanities (Tootsie Roll) Reports & Checks to State Treasurer, Dale A. Weber 16 Deadline for receipt of articles for the Knights-Lite 25 Celebrate the Birth of Jesus with your family
DID YOU KNOW? The Kansas Knight of the Month is Richard Bryant from Council 1832-Manhattan.
In an effort to save on printing and postage costs the State Officers have decided to transition the Explorer more to an electronic delivery system. Brother Knights who choose this option will receive an email notice and will be able to read and print the Explorer from the official website. This will save $1.31/issue/month. If you would like to receive your Explorer in this fashion please email your name, Council number and email address to State Secretary Pat Winchester at statesecretary@kansas-kofc.org
Families of the Month Awardees of a Holy Family Plaque from Supreme were: Marvin & Shirley Hammersmith Family of Council #834 – Horton; Adam & Cyrie Bruna Family of Council #2609 – Belleville; Jerry & Cecilia Clay Family of Council # 7446 – Mound City; Clyde & Sarah Huffman Family of #10834 – Lansing.
STATE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Well into the fraternal year it is time to assess if your council is on pace to achieve your goals. Will you reach your membership goal, your insurance goal and will your council attain the Star Council Award? Achievement of your goals is so vital to the success of the Knights of Columbus that an honest and critical assessment of your plans is needed. Allow the assessment to guide your efforts for the remainder of the year. Use it to validate your current plans or to fine tune them if necessary. The Fraternal Leader Success Planner, which every grand knight and district deputy received at the district deputy training and installation meeting in July, is a great tool. Every month the planner offers tips and suggestions for ramping up your membership activities. It also provides the service program targets for the current month and for the next several months. I encourage you as leaders of the Knights of Columbus to use this planner to help keep you on track and to track your success. This month make sure you follow-up with all the prospects identified in your October church drives that you haven’t yet initiated into the Knights of Columbus. Get first degrees scheduled for those and other prospects identified so far this month. Schedule a second and third degree to ensure that every member in your council has the opportunity to attain full Knighthood in our Order. Remember to recruit at all your council events during the busy months of November and December. As you plan your events over the next few months it is important to include in those plans sharing of the Knights of Columbus. Have the membership team ready to share recruiting materials at all your events. Make sure they are there to answer questions and ask prospects and their families to join. When better to recruit new members than when we are engaged in the works of charity, service and fellowship during the holidays? These holiday months of Thanksgiving and Christmas also present us with the opportunity to invite family and friends to join. You are the key to membership growth. As leaders of the Knights of Columbus it is important that you set an example. Put plans in place to recruit new members at all council activities. Challenge your officers to recruit at least one new member in November and another in December. Finish the first six months of the fraternal year strong so when we meet in December at the mid year meeting and assess our progress we will be able to say that we are on target to exceed our goals – one member per council per month. My wife Patty and I wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving and pray that God continues to bless you and your family and the work you do through the Knights of Columbus. Vivat Jesus, Michael J. Grothoff, Membership Director
STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE The first four months of our fraternal year have come & gone and now would be a good time to assess your council’s progress thus far. By now you should have filed your Form 365 at Supreme, submitted four (4) Family & Knight of the Month entries, completed your Commitment to Humanities (Tootsie Roll) Drive, submitted your Adopt-A-Seminarian pledge, applied
for your Parish Religious Education Funds, sold all your Religious Education Fund Raffle Tickets and returned them to your District Deputy, started your fund raisers for Pro-Life & Pennies from Heaven, and brought your council’s history up to date. REMEMBER, the job’s not done till the paperwork’s in. In order to receive proper recognition, the reports associated with these programs must be filed on time. If any of these reports haven’t been completed, now would be an excellent time to submit them. What about your council’s scrapbooks? Has your council begun compiling information to capture the special activities you have undertaken? Wouldn’t it be nice to be recognized for one or more of your council’s activities at the Convention in Manhattan next spring? Work begins early for a quality product. I’ll look forward to announcing your council’s name for the scrapbook awards in Manhattan. Grand Knights, work with your Directors & Chairmen to assure this is on their agenda. CHURCH ACTIVITIES Adopt-A-Seminarian Have you submitted your Adopt-A–Seminarian pledge? Seventy Percent of the Councils have not! To insure that all 109 Diocesan Seminarians in Kansas are adopted and pledges are equalized, it is imperative that every council submit their pledge cards immediately. The Pledge Cards were provided to you by your District Deputy in July at the Regional Meetings. Contact your District Deputy or Church Activities Director Steve Abels if you can’t find yours. All Grand Knights should have the list of Seminarians and the addresses of the Seminaries. If you have already pledged to a Seminarian, please begin sending your assistance and prayers. We cannot wait until next year; our future priests need our support TODAY. Religious Education Fund Applications Religious Education Chairman Rev. Ken Schuckman reports a majority of councils have submitted their request for parish Religious Education Funds. He wishes to thank all those responding. Grand Knights should receive the checks by mid-December. Religious Education Fund Raising October 25 was the deadline to return your tickets and monetary donations to your District Deputy. District Deputies are reminded that if they haven’t returned their tickets and proceeds to the Religious Education Fund Raising Chairman Paul Haverkamp, please do so as soon as possible! If you still need extra tickets, be sure to call Paul (913-796-2003) or your District Deputy to see if unsold tickets are still available. The drawing for prizes will be held on December 1st at the Mid-year District Deputy meeting. Thanks to all who have helped distribute tickets and collect donations. YOUTH ACTIVITIES Youth Activities Youth Activities Director, Tom Halbeib advises the Regional Free Throw Contest locations have been determined and the dates are now being set. Has your council ordered the Free Throw Championship Competition Kit? The deadline to place this order to Supreme was November 1. The order form is in the Council Report Forms Booklet. Council’s should prepare to conduct Free Throw Contests in January. Pay special attention to the "Free Throw Championship Program Guide" found in the Free Throw Kit. It contains several promotional
items including KofC Free Throw Championship Basketballs, which may be used at your Free Throw Contest. The Essay Contest is open to all students from 8th grade to high school seniors. Additional information about this program and the order form for a participation kit are on the Council Report Forms CD. All essay winners’ names and copies of their essays are to be forwarded to Youth Activities Director Tom Halbeib by April 1, 2014 for reporting council participation. Please refer to the Youth Activities section of the supreme website for details. If your council hosted a Soccer Challenge, send your participation form and results to State Youth Director Rod Hoffman. Columbian Squires Wouldn’t it be great to have a yearly flow of 18 year old men as new members into your council? A Squires Circle could do just that. Squires Chairman Ed Schmeidler would like to help you make that a reality. Contact him for help. FAMILY ACTIVITIES Family Life Protecting, preserving and recognizing traditional family values are a hallmark of the Knights of Columbus. By taking advantage of the Family of the Month Program, each council can help celebrate family values and life. Every council is asked to choose a family of the month every month. Submit their name to Supreme by the 15th of the following month and they will become eligible to receive one of 100 Holy Family Plaques given each month by the Supreme Council. This past month Kansas had 4 families chosen by Supreme to receive an icon of the Holy Family. Family Activities Director, Michael Antholz ask, is your council submitting their family of the month to Supreme? Out of the families being submitted to Supreme Kansas will pick one family every quarter to receive a Crucifix blessed by the State Chaplin Father Kenneth Schuckman. The first quarter winning family is the Frederic & Megan Wetter family of Council # 1510 Norton. The images of the Immaculate Conception are making their way around the state. Prayer cards and booklets for the Marian Prayer Service are also available in Spanish. Councils having Spanish speaking members in their parish are encouraged to host a prayer service in Spanish as well as one in English to make it more meaningful for all. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Commitment to Humanities (Tootsie Rolls) The October Campaign Drive to Help People with Intellectual Disabilities is now complete across Kansas and Chairman Bruce Luehring is excited with early returns. Bruce reminds you that although the designated weekend for the event has passed, your council may still solicit and accept donations to help use up any remaining Tootsie Roll inventory. Now is the time to evaluate your council’s results and see if improvements can be made for next year’s drive. Like any other program, no drive is complete until the paperwork is done. All councils must submit their reports by December 15th. The white copy of the Tootsie Roll Report Form, along with a check for 100% of the proceeds needs to be sent to State Treasurer Dale Weber and the yellow copy of this report goes to Commitment to Humanities Chairman Bruce Luehring. This should be done soon so Dale can send the recipient
checks back to the councils. It is also imperative that every council submit Form 4584 Partnership Profile Report with Special Olympics. This form may be submitted on line from the kofc.org website. Every council can submit this form even if they didn’t contribute man hours towards the Special Olympics. Bruce would like to extend a huge thank you to all Knights assisting in this worthwhile endeavor. Be sure to publicize the results of your council’s fund drive in your local newspapers & parish bulletins and extend a thank you to all who donated. Pro-Life We have just finished Respect Life Month. How did your councils programs go? If not so good it is always Respect Life Month. Your council can still work on their fundraisers, programs, charitable works and prayers for Pro-Life. Start making plans now for the Pro-Life Baby Shower to be held in January. If your council plans on conducting the Bottles for Life fundraiser, you need to start making plans now and determine when to have it. If you need information on this, call or e-mail the Pro-Life Chair Couple, Greg and Regina Lix. Be sure to continue working on the Evangelium Vitae Award requirements. The traveling trophy would look good in your council’s award display. A baby crib will be set up at the December Mid-Year District Deputy Training Meeting to help kick off the 15th annual Pro-Life Baby Shower. Attendees are asked to bring at least one baby item. Thanks to all the councils that participated in the Silver Rose run. The attendance this year was very good. COUNCIL ACTIVITIES Council Events Council Activities Director Michael Johnston reminds all councils to begin putting your teams together for the State Bowling Tournament in Lawrence, at Royal Crest Lanes starting on February 15. If you don’t currently have league bowlers in your council, a team still can be assembled and sent to the tournament. Letters and Entry Forms were sent out in October to Team Captains from the past 2 years. Entry Forms and information on the Tournament can be found on the Kansas State Web Site. Work at putting a team together to make this a successful tournament. If your council is interested in hosting the 2015 Bowling Tournament a written request must be sent to Mike by January 19, 2013. Call Mike for details. Fraternal Has your council selected a "Knight of the Month"? It is a great way to recognize a member for his contributions to your council activities. We encourage all council’s to participate in this monthly recognition. Make it a point to recognize a member at your council meeting. Submit your monthly applications to Fraternal Activities Chairman Richard Broz by the 15th of the following month. He will then be entered in the State Knight of the Month drawing. We have 72 of 258 councils currently participating and would like to see more applications each month. Publicity Publicity Chairman Richard Broz reminds councils to publicize all council activities. It is important that we let the public know who we are and the activities we sponsor. Submit articles to your local Newspaper, Church Bulletin and Diocesan papers. Remember to send him copies of all your council newsletters and all (contunued back page)
articles related to your council activities. Webmaster Field agent information for a council can be found on each council’s information page. Find a council under Councils, then By City or By Council Number. Click on the insurance agent link and the detailed information for the agent will be shown. To see all of the agents for a particular agency, visit Insurance, then Kansas Agencies, then Western, Central, or Eastern. Knights-Lite Knights-Lite editor Jamey C. Roth reminds everyone that the next edition of the Knights-Lite is scheduled to be published in early January. However, the deadline for articles to be submitted is December 16th for them to be included. COUNCIL HISTORY Stan Krier State Historian asks Grand Knights if their council history is up to date. Your history reports will compile a lasting reminder of your council activities for today’s members as well as future members. He suggests that this would be a good time to order a copy of Fraternalism and Leadership, The Second Fifty Years of the Knights of Columbus in Kansas. It would make an excellent Christmas gift for your council or for a member. Jamey C. Roth, State Program Director
Patrick Winchester State Secretary 510 Jones Street LeCompton, KS 66050 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED “THE POWER OF ONE TO RECRUIT”
“GROW IN FAITH-GROW THE ORDER”
NOV./2013 EXPLORER INSURANCE REPORT The Knights of Columbus agency department is proud to congratulate the following men for achieving the honor of Field Agent of the Month for their respective agencies: Eastern Kansas Agency: Luke Henry wrote $1,780,000 in life insurance protection on members and their families in September. Central Kansas Agency: Adam Riopel wrote $542,701 in life insurance protection on members and their families in September. Western Kansas Agency: Dan Reed wrote $1,363,000 in life insurance protection on members and their families in September. The three agencies combined to write a total of $34,366,994 in life insurance during the month of September. Please join us in congratulating the following men for their outstanding performance. These men lead the state or the Knights of Columbus insurance program in September of 2013. Darin Reed, Shaun McGovern, Wade Greif, J J. Deges R. J. Meyer, Chris Randa, Kirby Schmelzle, Steve Schmidt David Soukup, Jashua Barnard, B. J. Buehler, Joe Cummings Adam Bruna, Bill Weber, Joseph Schutzman If you or someone you know would like to join our winning team of Field Agents please call 1-866-391-8781 for more information.
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PAID AXTELL KS Permit No. 9