September 2015 - South Dakota Knights of Columbus

The South Dakota
Crusader
“In Humble Service”
Volume 58, Number 2
September 2015 Issue
USPS 565-100
Statue of our Order’s founder - Fr. Michael J. McGivney - dedicated at
St. Michael’s Cemetery in “Knights of Columbus Circle” on August 23
By Dan Johnson
A Great Day to be a Knight!!!
When I first took this position as Executive Director at St. Michael’s
Catholic Cemetery, one of my first
thoughts was how to honor my fellow
brothers in the “Knights of Columbus.”
So I asked myself how can we as a
Catholic Cemetery, and I, a proud
member of St. Lambert Council #13302
Knights of Columbus do this? I started
to pray. Within a couple of weeks I received a McGivney Guild Flyer in the
mail and I see a Statue of Fr. Michael
J. McGivney. My prayers were answered? I then tossed the idea around
more and also had a few conversations
with our Knights of Columbus District
Deputy to what his thoughts were and
he said, Dan, go for it!!!
Before I could pitch it to the area
Councils and Assemblies for funding, I
needed to get my ducks in a row and
find the perfect spot. I continued to do
more homework on the foundation,
granite base, how it would be lettered
etc… I put together my final numbers!
Now, I am ready to go out and ask for
donations!
The starter pistol went off and I was
off and running. Within a week I get a
call from a funeral director informing
me of a death. That death call (deceased) was not one I was expecting.
Yes, I was in shock! You see, that death
call was of our very own Knights of
Columbus District Deputy here in
Sioux Falls, Brother Randy Hawks.
Randy was that same person whom I
had several conversations with regarding the Fr. McGivney statue. I couldn’t
believe it. Randy passed away at the
young age of 56 from a massive heart
attack. The next day his family was
out to make his burial arrangements. I
was in tears, I was grieving with them
for the sudden loss of their husband
and father. As I talked more with his
wife, Kathleen, and their children, I informed them of the conversations
Randy and I had regarding the Fr. McGivney statue. We talked about the
cemetery plan and location of the proposed statue. Kathleen and her family
were thrilled with what I had told
them. That made her decision of grave
locations easier. Randy was buried
three days later, escorted by the 4th
Degree Knights of Columbus Honor
Guard.
I then jumped on the lecture circuit.
Attending all of the Knights’ councils
meetings, and 4th Degree Assembly
meetings in the Sioux Falls area, I gave
each of them an informational power
point presentation on the history/vision
of St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery. At
the end of each presentation I informed
them of our plans/vision to install a
statue to honor our Venerable Servant
of God, our Founder, Fr. Michael J. McGivney and asked each of them for
their prayers and for their support in
this project. Again my prayers were
answered. Every council and assembly
that I made presentations to stepped
up and donated to the statue. One
council even topped the others by a donation of $3.00 more - they wanted to
give the most!! God Bless them!!!
Thank You Vern!!
Finally, after a long winter, wet
spring and working with the Bishop’s
office with his busy schedule, we held
our Blessing and Dedication on August
23rd, 2015. Several area Knights attended the dedication.
See Dedication Ceremony, Page 3 ---
Blessing of McGivney statue
Bishop Paul J. Swain, right, gave a reflection on the importance of the
Knights of Columbus to the Diocese and led in the Dedication and
Blessing of Fr. Michael J. McGivney Statue Aug. 23, 2015 at St. Michael’s
Cemetery. Assisting were State Treasurer Gerald Dvorak, left, and Dan
Johnson, Executive Director of St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery.
Page 2 - The Crusader
State Deputy - Thad Liebig, Yankton
Two months into the new
Fraternal Year…how are your
councils doing at this stage of
the fraternal year? I know
that summer is a busy time for
vacations, other activities and
often times the Knights of
Columbus are not really on
everyone’s radar. However
the Knights of Columbus can
not afford to shut down during
the summer. Now that September is upon us and the
school year is going strong,
this is a perfect time to reflect
on our progress so far this new
fraternal year. Consider this
a self performance appraisal of
your councils, districts, and of
our entire state. Think about
how each of you would answer
these questions…as a member, a council leader, a district
leader, and as a state leader.
First things first…..are we focusing on membership/retention 24/7/365 through both
recruitment and our wonderful programs/activities? And
are we promoting monthly
First Degrees in each District?
Keep these two questions foremost in your minds as we continue
our
journey
this
fraternal year.
From a Council perspective;
how is your calendar of events
being promoted to your membership and families? Does
your council have their form
185 (Officers), form 365 (Service Personnel), and form 1295
(semiannual audit) sent to
Supreme? What are
your charitable programs planned for the
upcoming
months?
Did your council participate in the 5th
Sunday Rosary Corporate Communion August 30th? Are you
including your Bishops, priests, and deacons in
your activities/programs? Has
your council committed to
work towards and earn the
Star Council award….the
highest honor a council can
achieve?
From a District perspective;
how many council’s in the district recruited at least one new
member or reactivated a former member? Are all councils
compliant with the forms
listed above? Have all councils’ officers been installed?
Have the councils been visited
or scheduled to be visited? Are
we committed to scheduling a
first degree every month? Has
the information/items from the
Summer Organizational meeting been dispersed to the councils in a timely manner?
From a State perspective,
are all of us on the state council promoting membership/ retention 24/7/365 with firm
encouragement of our districts
and councils to schedule first
degrees and recruit to them,
not the other way around? Are
we doing all we can to instill
Fr.
McGivney’s
vision
The South Dakota Crusader
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throughout South
Dakota? Are we
using our positions
on the State Council to see to it that
our activities and
programs promote
Growth, Protection,
and first and foremost
Charity
throughout South Dakota. In
other words, I guess one could
ask, are we promoting a Star
Council culture for each district and council?
I am confident we are all on
the same page working towards the same goal..... Building the Order; one member,
one council, one district, one
jurisdiction at a time through
everything we have to offer
our
members,
families,
parishes, and communities.
By offering membership to
every eligible Catholic man,
promoting a Knights of
Columbus presence in every
parish extending out to our
communities, and offering protection of our families is how
we live up to the vision of Fr.
Michael J. McGivney. Vivat
Jesus!!!
In humble service,
IPSD John Limoges was able to grace the Supreme Convention's Awards Session stage three times with awards for New
Council Development, as Past State Deputy, and the highlight
was for the South Dakota's second year in a row Circle of Honor
Award. Pictured are IPSD John Limoges and his wife, Kim.
with Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, along with South Dakota's
membership
percentage of
132.33% good
enough for #5
Worldwide (1
member away
from #4). Congratulations to
John and Team
South Dakota
for another job
well
done!!!!
(submitted
by
State
Deputy
Thad Liebig)
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The Crusader - Page 3
Dedication Ceremony, from Page 1 -
Statue Blessings and Dedication
Father Michael J. McGivney
Sunday, August 23rd 5:00pm
Bishop Paul J. Swain
Diocese of Sioux Falls
Fr. Joe Forcelle, State Knights of Columbus Chaplain, led the
Prayer for the Canonization of Fr. Michael J. McGivney.
*
Welcome: Dan Johnson, Executive Director St.
Michael Catholic Cemetery, Sioux Falls
*
Opening Prayer: Bishop Paul J. Swain
*
History of Father McGivney: McGivney Guild
Chairman, Maynard Konechne
*
Remarks: South Dakota Knights of Columbus State
Officer, IPSD John Limoges
*
Prayer for Canonization: Fr. Joe Forcelle, State
Chaplain, South Dakota Knights of Columbus
*
Reflection: Bishop Paul J. Swain (Importance of the
Knights of Columbus to Diocese and Bishop Swain)
*
Dedication/Blessing of Statue: Bishop Paul J. Swain
*
Final Remarks: Dan Johnson
Maynard Konechne, State McGivney Guild Chairman, relayed the history of Fr.
Michael J. McGivney.
The statue of Fr. McGivney was placed in the middle of
St. Michael’s Circle Drive or as others call it “a roundabout”
That circle is now called “Knights of Columbus Circle”
I personally want to Thank all the Brother Knights for
seeing & believing with their donations to this project! May
God Bless You All!!!!
Next time you are in the Sioux Falls area please stop and
visit the Statue of Fr. McGivney! “Knights of Columbus Circle”
Blessings!
Dan Johnson
Executive Director, St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery
St. Lambert Council #13302 member
Marquette Assembly #1078 member
John Limoges, IPSD, representing the state council, gave
remarks about the dedication
of the McGivney statue.
The Most. Rev. Bishop Paul J. Swain, area clergy, state Knights of Columbus officers, Chairmen and several area Knights participated and attended the dedication of the statue of the Knights of Columbus founder, Fr. Michael J. McGivney in St. Michael’s Cemetery.
Page 4 - The Crusader
Membership & Retention Pat Powers, Flandreau
Wow! Summer has gone
fast! I hope you all are well as
you read this. Membership
has gotten off to a slow start
this Fraternal Year in South
Dakota, but I know our streak
of being Circle of Honor will
continue in South Dakota with
a “Three-peat.” I have heard
from many of you Grand
Knights and I have heard
them say that they are gunning for Star Council for their
councils. That is great news
for the Knights of Columbus. I
will give you a little tip, however, it seems to work best if
you start recruiting now and
not just wait for May or June
to wrap it all up.
As I have mentioned many
times, it is best to schedule a
lot of First Degrees with
smaller expectations rather
than to have just a few “big”
First Degrees. The average
number of new members at a
First Degree Orderwide is just
under three. So, as you can
see, it is best to have a First
Degree every month. Also,
please remember to have the
First Degree scheduled before
you start recruiting. This will
help you have a date to give a
prospect when speaking to
him.
As you all know, I have
never really pushed or tried to
lead us into Church Drives to
add new members. This October, however, I am changing
my tune and I am going encourage you all to have a
Church Drive along with the
rest of the Order in October.
This year the entire Order is
asked to host a Church Drive
at the weekend Masses of October 10-11. The week of October 12-18 that follows the
Church Drive has been designated Order wide First Degree
Week. It really works perfectly to have the First Degrees scheduled right after the
Church Drive. In South
Dakota we are team players
and when the Order is doing
something, we participate.
Am I right? We are also going
to be doing some joint Church
Drives with the Catholic
Daughters in a few parishes.
It will be a great opportunity
to work with the ladies and to
help grow the Order.
As you all know, Star Council is the highest honor a council can earn in the Knights of
Columbus and we have really
gotten the Star Council “bug”
in South Dakota the last three
years. You will notice the list
in this issue of all of the Star
Councils in South Dakota during that three year period.
You will notice that there are
33 councils on the list of Stars.
That total is really amazing as
it was only four years ago
when South Dakota had only
one Star Council. Also, please
notice that a number of the
councils have earned Star
Council multiple times and it
is something that they shoot
for every year.
All of us in South Dakota are
very proud of these councils
and all that they have accomplished. I would also ask you
to look at the list and notice if
your council is on the list of
Stars. If not, why not?
Every council in
South Dakota can
earn Star Council.
Trust me, you will be
amazed at how that award will
energize your council.
If your council has not
earned Star Council recently,
please discuss the award at
your next meeting and make a
commitment to go for Star.
This year we already have two
new councils that want to be
on the list of Stars. I am certain that Winner and DeSmet
will make it to Star this year
as they are both off to a great
start. I have had numerous
other Grand Knights tell me
that they will also be Star
Councils this year. It is going
to be another great year in
South Dakota!
Please remember that I am
always available to help you
any way that I can. So, please
don’t hesitate to get in touch
with me. Good luck and
thanks for all you do for the
Knights of Columbus.
Vivat Jesus
Star Council Message
Approximately around February, I was talking to some men
about joining the Knights of Columbus, once I had a few guys
lined up to go to a degree in Mitchell, I became motivated to
start a mission. With help from some other brother knights
we began to talk to prior knights that had dropped out years
ago and also encouraged members to recruit more candidates.
We finally found some men that wanted to join, but most of
them could not make the degree in Mitchell. We decided to
hold a first degree in Parkston, and then another, and another. The more men that joined, the more everyone in our
council got rolling with the idea of meeting our goal of 15. Unfortunately, we realized we had to make up for 4 others that
had been suspended making that number to 19 now. All required forms were pretty much up to snuff we were just needing some finishing touches. But we were determined, and we
kept after anyone that was not a member of the Knights in
our area (I think that was about 3, but like loaves of bread,
they became 19 with some left over).
And to think, we were all done with everything by mid-May,
three months of determination, by making phone calls and
just talking to these guys we were able to accomplish our goal.
Statistically, Parkston should not have been able to achieve
Star council. We’re already like the 8th biggest council, drawing from a population that is just a fraction of the size of many
other councils in the state.
Collin Newton
Parkston #1772
Star Councils since
2012-13
Armour (3)
Brandon (2)
Hartford (3)
Aberdeen (2)
Montrose/Humbolt (2)
Watertown
Vermillion
Jefferson (2)
Rapid City 41489
Brookings (2)
Gettysburg
SF St Michaels (2)
Alexandria (2)
Madison (2)
Rapid City 48844
Eagle Butte (2)
SF Little Flower
Is your council on this
list? Why not? Every
council can be a Star!
Tyndall
Flandreau
Highmore (2)
Piedmont (2)
SF St. Lamberts (2)
SDSU Newman Ctr (2)
SF Holy Spirit (2)
Clear Lake
Kimball
Parkston
Philip
SF St. Katherine Drexel
Lead
Mitchell
Wagner
Polo
Star Council Message
Our council was proud to
achieve Star Council as we
recognize the importance
and need to recruit new active members in order to
sustain our productive council for years to come. We
recognized that we had been
lacking in our recruitment
efforts so one of my goals as
Grand Knight was to
achieve Star Council. It had
been several years since we
had achieved this so with
the help of our many productive Knights we were
able to accomplish this goal.
Our goal for the upcoming
fraternal year is the same
and look forward to accomplishing that goal again.
Lee Pulse
Grand Knight, Kimball
Future State
Convention Sites
2016 - Mitchell
2017 - Sioux Falls
2018 - Spearfish
2019 - Rapid City
2020 - Aberdeen
Star Council Message
Maher
Council
#1079,
Mitchell, reached Star
Council for the first time in
many years thanks to several people.
Everything
seemed to click this year
with our council being active
and our insurance rep.
doing an outstanding job,
and of course the encouragement from Pat Powers.
When your council is active
and working together, people notice and that makes
recruiting easier and fun.
As Grand Knight, I couldn’t
be prouder, to lead this
council. Thanks to everyone
involved.
Grand Knight
Doug Timmer
1. How and why our
council values being a
Star Council so much:
The
Hartford
Council
#11739 leads by example.
That example is lead by St.
George's pastor, Fr. Paul
King. He is always there for
advice and guidance.
We are all servants of the
Lord. What better organization to become involved
with to help those who are
in need, especially those in
church, community, council,
culture of life, family, and
youth. When you can fulfill
the needs of these groups,
you are on your way to improving your community
and becoming a Star Council.
2. How you and your
council feel when you
make it to star?
We are extremely proud of
the work we accomplish as a
group of Brother Knights.
How uplifting when you can
overcome the obstacles that
are placed in front of you.
By combining our time and
God-given talents, we are
able to help those who cannot help themselves. Pay it
forward.
God Bless,
Doug Deffenbaugh
Grand Knight
Hartford #11739
Supreme Convention Sites
2016 -Toronto, Ontario
2017 - St. Louis, MO
The Crusader - Page 5
Insurance General Agent promotes incentive in recruiting efforts
General Agent Jon Beebe
again has been so kind to promote a Proposer Incentive (Individual Incentive) for the
upcoming months till April
1st, 2016. Each member that
gets a new member (proposer
line on the form 100) will be in
the running for a subsequent
prize for attaining a certain
Star Councils
#859 Watertown, GK Dave Manning and his wife Jacki
#1489 Rapid City, GK Tim French and his wife Patricia
#2977 Madison, GK Chris Larson and his wife Kris
#3640 Brookings, GK Dan Forester and his wife Becka
#4806 Polo, GK Jerome Schaefers
#6537 Eagle Butte, GK Greg Fisher
#6605 Sioux Falls, GK James Puthoff and his wife Donna
#6912 Gettysburg, GK Mark Schatz and his wife Kerri
#8844 Rapid City, GK Chris Acuna
#9809 Armour, GK Steve Soulek
#11315 Jefferson, GK Mike Dailey and his wife Cathy
#11739 Hartford, GK George Ham and his wife Janet
##12617 Sioux Falls, GK Dean Karsky
#15617 Alexandria, GK Don Wenande and his wife Pam
Double Stars
#820 Aberdeen, GK Jerald Bankston and his wife Kathleen
#4002 Tyndall, GK Jon Cihak and his wife Charlotte
#5029 Flandreau, GK Jim Redder and his wife Deb
#5738 Highmore, GK Jerrod Gutzmer and his wife Cassandra
#7079 Piedmont, Grand Knight Phillip Thompson and his
wife Teresa
#13302 SF St Lamberts, Grand Knight Brian Cooper and his
wife Leslie
#15457 SDSU Newman Center, GK Bradley Cihak
Triple Star
#15748 SF Holy Spirit, Grand Knight Pat McCue and his wife
Bonnie
Membership/Round Table - Ray Pierson, Sioux Falls
It was just a month ago that
I had the privilege to attend
the Supreme Convention in
Philadelphia as the delegate
for the State of South Dakota.
This event is as grand as it
sounds. We were able to meet
many great Knights and families from around the world.
The loyalty that each of the
Knights showed while attending made all of us proud to be
Knights of Columbus. I encourage you to take any chance
you get to attend a future
Supreme Convention.
One of the topics that we
heard about was the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. This has been going
on for a long time but seems to
be the most extreme recently.
Our key note speakers were
from Iraq and Syria. Those
areas are particularly hard hit.
We ask that all pray for the
end of the senseless killing and
persecution in our World!
One thing that we want to do
as a State this year is to have
our Round Table quota completed by the end of October. I
plan to be making calls this
month and next to help anyone
that may have questions about
Round Tables. We can do this
and it will not take much effort
at the Council level. Our hope
is that each year we can get
these Round Tables reported
early in the year. If you are a
new Grand Knight and don’t
know if you council has been
sponsoring a Round Table then
just ask your past Grand
Knights or contact me @ [email protected]
Thank you for your cooperation and hard work concerning
this matter.
level of new members. The
levels are as follows: Level
One is 3 new members-a certain value prize. Level II is 6
new members-a higher value
prize. Level III is 9 or more
new members- the highest
value prize.
Each member in South
Dakota is responsible for let-
ting Jon Beebe know when
they reach a certain level. A
proposer will only get one of
the prizes (minimum is 3 new
members), but it depends on
the number of new members.
For example if a proposer has
brought in 7 new members by
April 1st, 2016 that gentlemen
will receive the Level II prize.
Jon Beebe has not yet stated
what the prizes will be, but he
always makes great choices.
The prizes will be given out at
the 2016 State Convention in
Mitchell. Good Luck and get
busy RECRUITING!!!
South Dakota State Council
Ceremonials Chairman - Tim Salmen, Madison
Greetings Brother Knights.
I am writing this column in
mid-August but there is a cold
rain falling outside with a
wind blowing. It really seems
like fall already, even though
the official start of fall isn’t for
over a month. School is, however, just around the corner
and will already be in full
swing by the time you are
reading this so I guess I must
give in to the fact that it’s coming.
I recently had the opportunity to attend the 133rd Annual Supreme Convention in
Philadelphia as your Insurance Delegate for South
Dakota. This was a great experience and I want to thank the
delegates of our State Convention for electing me to serve
our State Council in this way. I
have always known of the
amount of good we do but it really comes to life when we hear
our Supreme Knight, Carl Anderson give us the details in
his annual report.
Probably the most impressive thing about the Supreme
Convention is the large number of Cardinals, Archbishops
and Bishops, and priests in at-
Date
tendance. They truly appreciate all we do for them and it
shows by their attendance.
The number of Fourth Degree
Knights is also very impressive.
If you ever have an opportunity to attend a Supreme Convention, either as a delegate or
simply just to attend, I encourage you to do so. You will not
regret it.
Our degree schedule is published elsewhere in this issue.
Please look for it and make a
note of degrees scheduled in
your area. Then ask a First degree member to advance to the
Third Degree and offer him a
ride. If you are a First Degree
member, I encourage you to attend a Second & Third Degree
in your area. You will gain a
much greater appreciation for
your membership in the
largest Catholic Lay organization in the world.
Our State Deputy Thad
Liebig has set a goal of adding
two additional degree teams in
the state and having them
ready to conduct degrees by
fall of 2016. The two areas we
will be concentrating on are
Aberdeen and Pierre. If we can
add teams in these areas, it
will be much easier to add degrees to the schedule when requested without as much
travel, either for teams of candidates. I have already visited
with a potential degree team
captain in Aberdeen, but I still
need one for the Pierre area.
We also need several men willing to learn parts in both the
Second and Third Degrees. I
will be contacting people in
those areas to find people who
can help make this happen. If
you think you would be a good
fit for one of these teams, or if
you know of someone who
would be, please contact me or
State Deputy Thad Liebig and
we can explain what all is involved.
As always, I want to extend
my most sincere appreciation
to those who are involved with
all of our degree teams. Their
dedication to teaching the lessons of the order is a testament to their love of the
Knights of Columbus. Thank
you all!
May God richly bless you
and your families!
Vivat Jesus!
2015-2016 Degree Schedule
Aug. 30
Sept. 20
Oct. 25
Jan. 3
Jan. 10
Jan. 16
Jan. 23
Feb. 28
March 13
April 3
Location
Team
CO
Dimock
Pierre
RC 8844 (tentative)
Wagner
Kimball
Hartford
Mobridge
Elk Point
Aberdeen
Mitchell
Central
Central
West River
Eastern
Central
Eastern
Central
Eastern
Central
Eastern
Thad
Tim
Greg S.
Tim
Thad
Tim
Greg. G
Thad
Greg. G
Thad or Tim
Page 6 - The Crusader
Fourth Degree Master -
College Council Chairman -
Jerald Bankston, Aberdeen
Greetings from the Fourth Degree. First let
me start by personally thanking everyone
who participated in the 125th Legacy Mass.
What an amazing sight and turn out! We had
85 Sir Knights in Regalia and many more
Fourth Degree in attendance. Thank you all
for making the last mass a Great one.
Reports
To all faithful Navigators and Faithful
Comptrollers. I sent out an email listing assemblies that were
missing there officers report and audits. The online system at
Supreme is failing and the reports are being lost. If you have
copies please get them to me ASAP. You can email them to me
at [email protected]. I cannot express how important
the reports are to our communication and our tax exempt status.
Also I still need updated email addresses from some of the assemblies. If you are reading this and know who the navigator is
for your assembly please get me their contact info. I have a
pretty good email list, but still am missing a few.
Exemplifications
It’s that time of year when many assemblies are looking at
hosting a Fourth Degree exemplification. I want to remind all of
you of a few important things when planning a degree.
1)
Please email me with two possible dates that will work
in case of a conflict
2)
We want to see as many candidates as possible 10 minimum
3)
When planning make sure that you have honor guard
ready to help. We need six Fourth Degree members to hold a
proper degree, along with people to help with reading parts.
4)
Please discuss with your potential candidates the need
for a tux, White collared shirt and black bow tie. Along with $70
fee for the degree.
5)
Please determine who the honoree of that the degree will
be held in honor of.
6)
And last, please put together a schedule of what time
the degree will begin and what time the dinner will begin. Example ( sign up @ 1 pm, Initiation begins at 2pm this usually
last two hours, and finally Dinner to begin at 4:30pm)
7)
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me
by email or phone.
I want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication
to the Knights of Columbus and the Fourth Degree. I encourage
all Third Degree members to take the final step into full Knighthood and experience all that the Fourth degree has to offer.
VIVAT JESUS!!!!
Jerald Bankston
District Master
605-228-4821
[email protected]
Church Activities - Mike Jesse, Hartford
I would like to thank all
Councils who support our
Seminarians in any way. Remember that without our
Priests, there is no Eucharist.
When you submit your RSVP
reports to Supreme, please re-
member to send a copy to me.
You may want to start thinking about who would be a good
coordinator for your local
Essay Contest.
Vivat Jesus!
- Brad Cihak, Gettyburg
My name is Bradley Cihak,
I grew up in Tyndall, South
Dakota where I first joined the
Knights of Columbus. I attended college for Agricultural
Education at South Dakota
State University where I
transferred my membership to
get the college council started,
and served two years as Grand
Knight, where I attended the
National College Council Conference in New Haven, CT. I
am now teaching Agricultural
Education in Gettysburg, SD,
where I have transferred my
membership to.
I am excited to serve this
year as the South Dakota College Council Coordinator. I
am looking forward to working
with colleges to grow our number of College Councils
throughout this next year. I
feel that we have an abundance of untouched opportunities, that we can influence and
start great things on college
campuses. We are currently
working with a couple of universities who have expressed
interest, and it will be with
great enjoyment, to help them
Thank You 4th
Degree Knights
Thank you so very much to
all those that participated in
the 125th Legacy Closing
Mass Honor Guard on Sunday, August 16th.
We have had many wonderful compliments regarding
our participation.
Thank you to the local area
Assemblies that provided
Honor Guards for the Opening and Saturday Masses.
A special thank you to
those Brother Knights that
traveled from the Rapid City
Diocese to be with us for the
weekend. Your presence was
greatly appreciated.
God’s Blessings be upon us
all.
Sincerely,
4th degree Honor Guard
Closing Mass Committee
District
Master
Jerald
Bankston, State Deputy Thad
Liebig, Supreme Director Paul
Lambert, and District Marshall
Scott Cunningham
and see what we are able to do
for them. I am looking forward
to a great year with the state
officer’s help, on growing the
order here in South Dakota
and to continue the great
things that South Dakota
Knights of Columbus has been
doing.
I am excited that we will be
able to send to colleges from
South Dakota to the College
Conference this year in New
Haven, and am excited to hear
back from them and see their
excitement when they return.
Representatives from South
Dakota State and the University of South Dakota will be attending.
Huron KC Event
2nd Annual Holy Trinity
Car Show Fundraiser was
held Sept. 15.
Event raised $1,680 for the
school last year.
Legacy 125th Honor Guard
Eight-five Fourth Degree Knights served as Honor Guard at the
Sioux Falls Diocese Legacy Celebration in Sioux Falls on Aug.
16. Some of the members shown above included District Master
Jerald Bankston; Scott Cunningham, District Marshall; Paul
Lambert, Supreme Director; Thad Liebig, SD State Deputy;
Barry Eske; and Maynard Konechne.
State Deputy Thad Liebig, left, and State Secretary Dwight
Gutzmer were the Fourth Degree Honor Guard members at
125th Legacy Rural Mass at the Swenson farm south of
Woonsocket on June 27. The mass was celebrated by Bishop
Paul Swain. All day activities honored the rural life of the family farming contribution and faith of the pioneers who nurtured
and nourished the land, and the farmers and ranchers who continue to do so today.
The Crusader - Page 7
State Chaplain -
Fr. Joe Forcelle, Tyndall
Michael J. McGivney was
born in Waterbury, CT, on August 12, 1852, to Patrick and
Mary McGivney. They were
Irish immigrants, part of the
great wave of such European
immigrants just prior to the
Civil War. His story is one of
hardships common to the era,
all of which shaped his vision
for the Knights of Columbus.
Having experienced firsthand
what happened when the
breadwinner of the family died
young, Michael had to leave
the seminary for a brief time to
attend to the needs of his
mother and younger siblings.
Through kind benefactors he
was able to complete his studies and was ordained a priest
December 22, 1877, by Archbishop James Gibbons in Baltimore, MD. Soon after he
began his ministry as curate
(assistant) at St. Mary’s Parish
in New Haven, CT.
This
began his brief eleven year
ministry.
Fr. McGivney was fully a
century ahead of his time. He
quickly built up parish associations, a baseball team, a theater group and more. He
visited men in prison, especially one on death row, standing by him as he ascended to
the gallows. Seeing the pain
and separation of families
through the loss of the wage
earners, Fr. McGivney sought
to protect the widows and orphans so they could remain together as families. This gave
birth to the concept of the life
insurance program of the
Knights of Columbus. But he
wanted the Knights to be so
much more. His dream and vision still guide us today.
This past month our order
celebrated the 133rd anniversary of our founding as well as
the 125th anniversary of Father Michael J. McGivney’s
death. He is now called Venerable Servant of God. His
cause for canonization is progressing with the verification
of a miraculous healing
through his intercession, so we
may soon be calling him
Blessed Michael McGivney.
One of the things considered in
the canonization process is
whether or not the individual
lived a life of heroic virtue. It
is my suggestion that every Local Knights of Columbus councils near Sioux Falls worked
council in our state would pro- together to provide breakfast for the 125th Legacy Breakfast
cure and view the video pro- for the Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese on Sunday, August 16.
duced by the Knights of
Columbus on his life. I have
viewed this video and have
read his biography, “Parish
Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism” by Douglas Brinkley and
Julie M. Fenster. It would be a
great project for any council to
be done as a family event.
On August 23, 2015, Bishop
Paul Swain blessed and dedicated a statue of Fr. McGivney
in St. Michael Cemetery in
Sioux Falls. He called Fr. McGivney, “a tough priest who
held his people to higher standards and a holy way of life.”
God knows we need such
priests today in our own troubled times. As we Knights
continue to pray for our State Deputy Thad Liebig, left, State Membership Director Pat
founder’s canonization as a Powers, State Treasurer Gerry Dvorak, District Deputy Doug
saint, may we also keep his vi- Bierschbach and Intellectual Disabilities Chairman Dan Johnson all worked at the Knights of Columbus booth at the Sioux
sion and legacy alive.
Falls Diocese Legacy Celebration in Sioux Falls.
Vivat Jesus!
Catholic
Social
Services -
John Schmit,
Rapid City
We were recently honored to
receive US Department of
State Hague Accreditation and
Approval for Catholic Social
Services Family Services Department’s Adoption Program.
This Accreditation makes certain that CSS Adoption Services have in place safeguards to
ensure inter-country adoptions
take place ethically and in the
best interests of the children
involved.
Since 2006 the Council on
Accreditation of the US Department of State has served
as the only national accrediting
entity. COA has established a
rigorous accreditation and approval process and mechanisms to monitor and oversee
the performance of the approved agencies and personnel.
Catholic Social Services is
the only Adoption Agency in
South Dakota to receive this
Accreditation and approval.
James Kinyon is the Executive Director CSS and Natalie
Lecy is the Director of the
Family
Services
Department/Adoption Department.
Catholic Social Services is located at 529 Kansas City
Street in Rapid City, SD. For
Adoption information, please
contact our office at 605-3486086 or email to [email protected].
Natalie Lecy, Director
Family Services/Adoption
Department
Student Loan Administrator- Doug Chilson, Huron
What a wonderful time of
the year! The cool nights remind us that we are entering
a new phase of the year. Many
youth are also entering a new
phase, one of going into or continuing in higher education.
The Knights of Columbus Student Loan program is here to
help eligible students receive
that education. About three
months ago there was a flurry
of activity with new applications coming in but it has
slowed down some. I accept
applications at any time of the
year so don’t think you need to
wait. We all know that our financial situations can change
so we don’t limit it to a specific
month. The entire process
usually takes around a month.
You can see a complete listing
of regulations on the state web
site: www.kofcsd.org.
Don’t forget about the loan
program that is available to
those enrolled in the perma-
nent deaconate program in either diocese. The State Council recognizes the sacrifice and
commitment of these men and
wants to offer assistance. The
regulations and application
are available on the web site
also.
Speaking of the website,
have you looked at it recently?
The information is constantly
changing so be sure to go and
see what is there every week
or so. The entire forms book is
on there and you can print off
pages as you need them.
Copies of Directions and Crusader can be viewed on line
and there are numerous valuable links. Take a look!
I mentioned in the July Crusader that the student loan
program is in excellent condition and can handle numerous
loans so please promote the
program. I also requested that
donations be channeled toward the KC Disaster Relief
fund. Since that article was
written, there has been another instance where the
Knights stepped up to help
someone in need. It would be
great if every council held a
fundraiser of some kind to
benefit the Disaster Relief
fund.
Vivat Jesus,
Page 8 - The Crusader
General Insurance Agent - Jon Beebe, Watertown
Raising Awareness About Life Insurance
Each September since 2003 has been designated as Life Insurance Awareness Month.
Like most awareness-raising campaigns, Life
Insurance Awareness Month was created because there is an overwhelming lack of understanding of life insurance, its uses, its benefits,
and its variations among the general public.
Each year, the Life Insurance Market Research Association (LIMRA) puts out the results from a recent
survey, and unfortunately, the numbers they report continue to
be discouraging.
A recent survey found that more than 75 percent of people
polled did not have a personal financial advisor, even though 68
percent of them said 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 brings, yet they
did not seek professional assistance. Maybe they spoke with
their friends and family. Maybe they hoped the instability would
go away on its own. Maybe they did not know to whom to turn.
If you fall into this category, please remember that as a member of the Knights of Columbus, you have a full-time, professional agent you can call your own. Our primary responsibility
is the care and service of your family’s life insurance, retirement
and long-term care needs. We will answer your questions because we want your decisions to be informed ones. We want to
help.
Another LIMRA statistic said 43 percent of people did not buy
life insurance because they worry about “making the wrong decision.” Talk with us, your Knight of Columbus agents, and, afterwards, you’ll understand that the only wrong decision was not
purchasing sooner to protect your family’s future.
General Agent
Jon Beebe FICF
Office: 882-8689
Cell: 520-8689
2 Dart Drive
Watertown, SD 57201
[email protected]
Mark Hegge FIC LUTCF
Office: 337-2177
Cell: 207-0276
P.O. Box 392
Platte, SD 57369
[email protected]
Philip Carlson FIC
Office: 692-1090
Cell: 695-4793
1931 Lincoln Ln
Brookings, SD 57006
[email protected]
Curtis Antony
Office: 605-878-0832
Cell: 605-881-6545
6300 4th Ave. SW
Watertown, SD 57201
[email protected]
Mark Di Santo FIC
Office: 391-5694
Cell: 391-5694
104 N Platt St
Rapid City, SD 57702
[email protected]
Matt Weller FIC
Office: 302-0001
Cell: 450-6066
215 East 7th Ave.
Redfield, SD 57469
[email protected]
Jason Lurz
605-270-3463
23373 450th Ave.
Madison, SD 57042
[email protected]
Thomas Bechen
Cell: 605-770-9798
1020 Palmer Place
Mitchell, SD 57301
[email protected]
Heath Dickelman
Cell: 701-361-2360
3304 Saguaro Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57110
[email protected]
Justin Derry
Office: 605-630-5754
600 S. Edgerton St.
Mitchell, SD 57301
[email protected]
Jeff Mollman
Cell: 641-4690
608 W. Summit St.
Lead, SD 57754
[email protected]
Redfield Council replaces Right to Life sign
The Knights of Redfield, the
Redfield Right to Life and
Catholic Daughters are working together to raise funds to
replace the Right to Life sign
on the south edge of town. The
total cost of the project is
about $1,300.
A free-will offering corn on
the cob/barbeque lunch was
held Aug. 23 after Mass with
over $900 raised. Donations
are welcome.
Roger
Appel,
Redfield
Family Activities -
Greetings Brother Knights,
Wives and Families,
Wow summer is winding
down and the fall season begins it seems to me that the
summer gets shorter every
year, I know it doesn’t but I
love summer so much it seems
that way, I hope everyone had
a great summer and was able
to spend valuable time with
their families. There are so
many opportunities to spend
time with your family during
the summer with sporting
events, camping, fishing, cycling, picnics or many other
activities you may enjoy. With
the start of the fall season the
Knights of Columbus members get busy with many other
activities like our Football
Sweepstakes, our annual
Tootsie Roll Program, state
soccer program and getting
ready for our annual Free
Throw Contest. Many of those
Knight volunteered to chair
this worthwhile project. The
new pro-life sign arrived and
was tentatively set to be put
up Saturday morning, Sept.
19.
Dale Steilen, Huron
programs we can work with
our children to make it a family event.
I want to thank everyone
who helped out with the Our
Lady of Guadalupe prayer
program. In only three weeks
the prayer program made it
across the State from North
Dakota, stopping at Abby of
the Hills, Madison, Brookings,
Sioux Falls, Huron, Plankinton, Pierre and then Blessed
Sacrament in Rapid City before heading out to Wyoming
to continue its journey. I realize this all takes a lot of work
and a lot of logistics to get it to
the right place at the right
time. Thanks a Lot.
The Immaculate Conception
prayer program is coming to
an end and I want to thank
everyone who helped get the
icon around the state twice
during a two year program.
We will be starting out a
new prayer program this October, “The Holy Family
Prayer Program”. We will be
running this program giving
every District twice at much
time at each district than we
have done in the past, therefore giving every District
Deputy time to make sure
each council will have time to
schedule the program with the
Priest or parish. The Holy
Family Prayer Program will
start out on October 12th of
2015 and will only travel
around South Dakota one
time in a two year program.
Please check the schedule in
the Crusader so you know
when to schedule the prayer
program with your council and
arrange it with your District
Deputy instead of waiting for
him to call you. Thank You
Vivat Jesus
Holy Family Prayer Program 2015-17
East River Schedule
District
District Deputy
10
John Cihak
NONE DURING CHRISTMAS
11
Collin Newton
8
Jim Pekron
7
Joe Keller
6
Scott Kram
5
Bill Welder
4
Doug Bierschbach
NONE THRU LENT
9
Gregg Boggs
2
Daniel Dwire
1
Leslie Leichtnam
Phone
Start Date
End Date
464-0180
Oct. 12, 2015
Dec. 14, 2015
505-0505
203-0136
460-3017
252-0958
949-1739
691-3440
Jan. 8, 2016
Mar. 10, 2016
May 12, 2016
July 15, 2016
Sept. 15, 2016
Nov. 17, 2106
Mar. 7, 2016
May 9, 2016
July 11, 2016
Sept. 12, 2016
Nov. 14, 2016
Mar. 6, 2017
310-6905
376-3059
670-8145
Mar. 9, 2017
May 11, 2017
July 13, 2017
May 8, 2017
July 10, 2017
Sept. 12, 2017
Phone
Start Date
End Date
280-8123
Oct. 12, 2015
Feb. 6, 2016
230-0407
645-3590
431-8420
441-3526
Feb. 13, 2016
May 1, 2016
Aug. 7, 2016
Nov. 16, 2016
Apr. 24, 2016
July 31, 2016
Nov. 6, 2016
Feb. 12, 2017
491-2387
778-6933
Feb. 19, 2017
May 21, 2017
May 14, 2017
Aug. 31, 2017
West River Schedule
District
District Deputy
14
Pat Thompson
NONE DURING CHRISTMAS
15
Travis Vetch
18
Dan Ziegler
17
Phillip Thompson
16
James Begeman
NONE DURING LENT
12
Cletus Wiechman
13
John Stadler
DD’s - Please contact the DD after you to make contact plans and schedules
The Crusader - Page 9
KC Foundation Chairman - Paul Harens, Yankton
Dear Brother Knights and
families,
The South Dakota Knights
of Columbus Foundation is
growing as I write this column. I just received a donation
for a brother knight who lost a
family member and another
was a donation made from a
trust. These are just two examples of how the principle of
the foundation keeps growing.
We have done some transferring of new money to earn a
bit more interest. Most funds
and/or banks are paying very
low rates. The executive committee of the Foundation is
trying to get the best rate possible. We believe we have done
that.
I know that there are councils out there doing the number fundraiser. So far we have
had one council make their donation from the project. Way
to go Custer Council, excellent
job by brother Knights out
west!! Let's see if we can get a
few more done before Christmas. Remember, all the interest from these donations will
begin to be handed out this
year.
There are two other projects
that help the foundation (and
the disaster fund). The first is
the Silent Auction items at
State Convention. Brother Jim
(Hulm) and I would appreciate
some great items this year. We
would like to see something
from every council. The more
creative, unique would be wonderful. We have some Knights
(and wives/family members)
who are very creative and can
make something for this auction. It raises a lot of funds for
both the Disaster Fund and
the Foundation.
The second project is the
Pennies/Change Project. If at
every meeting the Knights
would dump all of their change
into a container of some kind
and then bring that change to
the convention. It is always
fun to watch the wheel barrow
get filled up with change. If
you don't want to haul it to
convention - give the cash
equivalent to your delegates
and they can go to the local
bank and get change (of all
kinds of denominations) to
present Friday evening. Every
little bit helps the Foundation.
Don't forget the challenge
made at convention. Sponsor a
breakfast and bring the proceeds to convention.
We don't expect a council to
do it all, but please try and do
one of the projects that are
mentioned above. If every
council did something I would
bet there would be a lot of
money for the foundation.
One last note: Many of you
know that I have been growing
my hair out. I have a great
pony tail going right now. The
council and/or individual that
donates the most funds from
the end of convention 2014, to
the Saturday afternoon meeting, gets to cut the pony tail off
and shave my head. So, who is
going to shave it? I'll have a
picture with State Deputy
Thad Liebig in the December
issue of the Crusader to show
what you can cut off. If you
contact my son, Michael, he
may even donate a little bit to
help the cause along! I want to
hit the $50,000 dollar mark at
this year's convention!
God Bless
Paul Harens
President of SD K of C
Foundation!
The next
Crusader issue
will be published
in December.
Deadline is Dec. 1.
Email:
[email protected]
Pictured are the Supreme Board of Directors. South Dakota's own Paul J. Lambert was elected
to his second term during the Supreme Convention in Philadelphia. State Deputy Thad Liebig
had the very high honor of nominating Paul to this position. Paul is the gentlemen on the left
end of this picture. Congratulations Paul!!! South Dakota is very proud of you. (submitted by
State Deputy Thad Liebig)
The South Dakota delegation to the Supreme Convention had the wonderful opportunity to have their picture taken with His
Excellency Bishop Paul Swain as well as His Excellency Archbishop Charles Chaput (Philadelphia) and His Excellency Bishop
Donald Kettler (St. Cloud, MN). Archbishop Chaput was the Bishop of Rapid City from 1988-1997. Bishop Kettler was a priest
for the Diocese of Sioux Falls from 1970-2002 before being named a bishop in 2002 of Fairbanks, AL and now St. Cloud, MN. This
reminds us of the terrific leadership we have currently, with Bishop Swain and Bishop Gruss, as well as the great spiritual leaders from our past. Joining the Bishops for this picture are left to right: Julie and Paul Lambert (Madison), Ann and Ray Pierson (SF 6605), Christie and Bob Hodgdon (SF 815), Beth and Tim Salmen (Madison), Archbishop Chaput, Bishop Kettler, Bishop
Swain, Thad and Tamara Liebig (Yankton), Lileth and Dave Fromelt (Waubay-Webster), Kim and John Limoges (Centerville),
Gabrielle Limoges (Centerville), Kurtis and Gail Nelson (SF 815-Non delegate) behind State Chaplain Fr. Joe Forcelle.
Page 10 - The Crusader
State Historian/PSD - Terry Andersen, Madison
Brother Knights,
Many councils struggle with
the idea of how to recruit new
members. The average age of
councils has been in the past
60+ years old. It is hard to get
the interest of the younger 18
to 30 year old men. What reason is there for them to belong? What will I be doing
once I join? Maybe it is time
for all the 65+ year old members to get active like they
were in the past!
How about all the Honorary
and Honorary Life members
put their heads together and
start doing again, the activities they did 20, 30, 40 years
ago. You have a fountain of
knowledge in your heads that
unless used and shared will
disappear with you to the
grave. Look back on things
you did in your younger years
that were successful. Organize them within your group of
seasoned Knights and if
needed, recruit the help of the
younger members, but try
hard to do it all within your
group.
I hear stories from some of
the Honorary and Honorary
Life members of the feeds they
used to put on and have large
numbers of folks come and
enjoy what you are doing. I
have heard of bbq’s drawing as
many as 1500+ folks; Tootsie
roll drives that collect $2000
or more in one day; Sweetheart dinners and dances; Father/daughter
nights;
Mother’s Day banquets; Mardi
Gras; Clergy appreciation dinners; Past Grand Knight appreciation dinners; soup feeds,
etc., etc., etc!
Young folks in the parish
and community will see what
you guys are doing and just
might want to be a part of a
group that does so many good
events. Another thing that
will inspire new members is
your presence at the monthly
meetings of your council.
Don’t let your council meetings be a gathering of the
same small bunch of guys who
make all the decisions because
no one else is there to offer any
input.
There is hundreds, if not
thousands of years of experience out there in our “older”
members. Let’s not let it all go
to waste. Use it for the good of
the order and to insure the
order lives long after we are
gone!!
Vivat Jesus
Crusader issues now
published in
September,
December,
March & June
Pictured on the Supreme Meeting stage with the Liberty Bell
and Independence Hall background, delegates elected to attend
the Supreme Convention in Philadelphia. Bob Hodgdon (Sioux
Falls 815), Dave Fromelt (Waubay-Webster 4903), IPSD John
Limoges (Centerville 10266), State Deputy Thad Liebig (Yankton 1536), Tim Salmen (Madison 2977), Ray Pierson (Sioux Falls
6605), and Supreme Director Paul Lambert (Madison 2977).
Yankton’s Marty Assembly held a Charity Breakfast recently with proceeds designated to benefit the Military Chaplains. The breakfast was held at St. Benedict's Parish. Shown above are
some the kitchen crew who prepared and served the breakfast.
Knights membership strong in Aberdeen
Reprinted with Permission
by Aberdeen American News
By Kelda J.L. Pharris
Although some have swords,
real-life Knights slay with
service and assistance.
Forty new members were
added last year to the Knights
of Columbus - Council 820.
Barry Coughlin, Grand Knight
of the local organization, said.
The number of current members is now 349. That’s well
more than a 10 percent increase, making Aberdeen’s the
largest council in South
Dakota, Coughlin said.
The group hasn’t seen a
slump in new recruits, as other
male-based organizations have
in recent years. Just the opposite is happening, Coughlin
said. He attributes that to the
heightening visibility of the organization, its image and a
willingness to accommodate
today’s demanding personal
schedules.
“We try not to be so secretive. We are trying to be less of
that and more visible in the
public,” Coughlin said. “It’s
nice to be associated with a
good, healthy, positive organization, whether they give two
or 200 hours.”
Volunteer hours are important to the group, though it
tries to be flexible.
“We know that we’re not
going to get 120 hours of volunteer work out of one person
in a year. In the 80s, you could
get that,” Coughlin said of the
increasing demand of members’ schedules. ‘We ask any-
body new that we recruit if
they can give us four to six
hours a year.”
The Knights are continually
looking for ways to appeal to
potential and current members. Aside from the normally
private regular meetings, the
group also hosts social meetings that families can attend.
It also utilizes Facebook to
reach people.
“We are trying to find what
that magic thing is to reach
people, but you have to do a lot
of things to see what fits in
with certain groups of people,”
Coughlin said.
The Knights host numerous
fundraisers during the year to
benefit organizations like
SPURS, Aspire and Roncalli
special education. An annual
memorial service for miscarried babies is another outreach
project they do.
“It helps with the healing
process with the families. It’s
not just for Catholics. It helps
to bring healing,” Coughlin
said. “We have a tombstone
done every year for the babies.
It’s a pretty amazing thing.”
They also offer assistance to
families in the local parishes
who have fallen on hard times.
That gets to the root of the
Knights of Columbus. One of
the informal covenants of the
international organization is
to take care of families that
have lost their patriarch,
Coughlin said. The Knights
step in to help them meet their
basic needs. Along those lines,
they also serve as pallbearers
during funeral services when a
deceased member of the
Catholic church doesn’t have
family to do so.
The Aberdeen council was
founded in October 1903.
There are four degrees to the
organization. Members pass
from one degree to the next
through an exemplification
process. He wouldn’t elaborate
on the well-guarded process. A
third-degree memberis considered a full Knight of Columbus. Fourth-degree Knights
are the only ones allowed to
wear the full regalia of feathered hat, sword and cape during ceremonies.
Fourth-degrees, also referred to as the assembly, are
eligible to be elected to positions within the council. The
positions start at Chancellor,
then Deputy Grand Knight
and then Grand Knight
through a succession process.
Each position has a two-year
term. The positions are voted
on by the council as a whole.
Knights of Columbus is open
to any man 18 or older who is a
Catholic in good standing.
Coughlin, who started with
the Knights through a pancake fundraiser, doesn’t underestimate the fellowship the
group offers and what that can
mean to new recruits and
members. The social aspect
benefits both the men and the
organization as a whole.
“They develop camarderie
and friendship,” he said.
“When people get exposed to
that, they give more time.”
The Crusader - Page 11
No Shave November Project
Shown above is the procession of the clergy to the final Mass of the Sioux Falls Dioceses’ Legacy
125th Mass on Aug. 16 at the Convention Center in Sioux Falls. Eighty-five Fourth Degree
Knights provided an Honor Guard during the Mass. Fourth Degree Knights also served as an
Honor Guard in other Masses during the celebration.
The KC State Council will participate in a No Shave November campaign for awareness of Men’s Health Issues. All
state officers, directors, and district deputies will be participating. Money raised will benefit the Avera Cancer/Research
Institute and the South Dakota Knights of Columbus Disaster
Fund. We have tied the two together because we all know the
devastation that can occur in a family when the father is afflicted with one of these Men’s Health Issues. This campaign
for Men’s Health Awareness will take place November 1st till
December 5th when at the Winter Meeting in Pierre, the last
day will be a Best Beard Contest judged by some of the spouses
of the State Council. Three $100 Walmart Gift Cards have
been secured by Aberdeen Walmart Store Manager Chad Bent
for the leaders in 3 categories: most money raised, most number of donations (donors), and best judged beard. Those State
Council personnel that don’t participate in the “no shave” part
of the campaign will be purchasing a Shaving Permit, but will
still be asking for donations. There will also be fines for those
that need to “trim” their beards over the course of the 35 days
for whatever reason. There will be a fine for each “trim”.
Please be generous when a member of the State Council asks
for a donation. The December issue of the Crusader will have
the amount raised and the winners of the 3 Walmart gift
cards. That Crusader issue will also have important Men’s
Health information for our members. Lastly, I humbly ask for
your prayers for the success of this upcoming Men’s Health
Awareness campaign. God’s Blessings be upon you.
Vivat Jesus!!!
Thad Liebig, State Deputy
Softball Mini-Tournament
Local councils from Rapid City planned for the Annual Softball Mini-Tournament which was held Sept. 12 at the Star of the
West of St. Patrick Street on field 1 and 5. Councils participating included St. Therese, Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Our Lady of the Black Hills.
KC Soccer Challenge
Yankton’s Marty Assembly held a Charity Breakfast at St. Benedict’s Parish with proceeds designated to benefit the Military Chaplains. Shown above are assembly members Ed Steffen, left,
and Doug Budig.
Heartfelt Gratitude . . . Words cannot express the
gratitude felt by all of South Dakota!!!
Thank you…Thank you…Thank you…
To Hartford Council #11739, Chairman Bill Pearson, and
Grand Knight Doug Deffenbaugh stepping up to chair the
Knights of Columbus 125th Legacy Breakfast for the Sioux
Falls Catholic Diocese on Sunday, August 16th.
You truly did something For the Good of the Order.
Job Well Done!!!!!
Special thanks also go out to the Sioux Falls area councils and
members that helped with planning, equipment needs, supply
orders, etc. This was an amazing undertaking and couldn’t
have been done without everyone’s help. The coming together
of so many workers from councils throughout the Diocese…..WOW!!!!
We really do belong to the Greatest Organization in the World.
Newest Knights to
South Dakota
Knights of
Columbus
Redfield Council
Casey Fey
Mike Kruthoff
Rapid City Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Council
Mark J. Hazel
Shane Smith
Andrew Sullivan
(seminarian)
The Knights of Columbus from Rapid City held the 2015
Knights of Columbus Soccer (penalty kick) Challenge on August
17-18 at the East Minnesota Street Soccer Field. The soccer challenge is sponsored annually with winners progressing through
local, district and state competitions. The activity is open to boys
and girls ages 9-14 and each will compete in their respective age
divisions. There were 45 boys and girls that participated in this
years event. The winners will compete in the district competitions in September with the opportunity to advance to the state
and possibly international levels.
Annual KC Cafe Fund-raiser
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Council #1489 held their biggest
fundraiser of the year on August 13-23 in conjunction with the
Central States Fair. The council hosted the Snack Shack again
this year with a net income was 53 percent of their gross. This
outdid the 2014 Snack Shack activity by 47 percent. The council
broke $9,000 net income and according to records kept the past
15 years, this was never done. This activity is one of their largest
volunteer projects during the year. Generous donations of beef
and eggs was a reason the councils’ expenses were down.
First Friday Mass with Bishop Gruss
The First Friday Mass and Lunch with Bishop Gruss was held
Sept. 11 with lunch served in the parish hall. Bishop Gruss presented a talk following the lunch. The charge for lunch was $6.00
with proceeds from the lunch to benefit the SDSM&T Newman
Center.
Page 12 - The Crusader
State Council sponsors Grand Knight training sessions at various locations in state
By Mark Nesladek
The Grand Knight is the
most important member of
your council. These words
were one of the first slides in
the presentations given by
State Council personnel on
Saturday, Sept. 12 during
Grand Knight training in 10
locations throughout the state.
Training sessions were held in
Vermillion, Sioux Falls, Watertown, Aberdeen, Huron,
Mitchell, Gregory, Pierre,
Eagle Butte and Rapid City.
South Dakota membership
stands at 8,454 members according to a power-point
shown at the front of the line.
South Dakota is celebrating
its highest membership ever!
There are over 16,000 councils
worldwide and 1,877,020
Knight members worldwide.
Many topics as shown
through slides and question
and
answer
discussions
throughout the presentations,
were educational and informative, often expressing solutions and ideas to Knights
attending the training sessions. Topics covered during
the power-point presentation
included Attitudes, Leadership Skills, Communication
Methods, Membership/Retention, Star Council Award,
Withdrawl Procedure/Suspensions, Knight visibility, Networking, and various other
topics worthwhile to Grand
Knights, and all council members, in fact.
The following information
may seem redundant to many,
but nonetheless pertinent to
new Grand Knights and seasoned council officers as well.
Most of the information are
points brought out through the
power-point presentation.
The Grand Knight is responsible for the Growth of the
council, Protection and Charity. What he gets out of involvement is what he puts into
it. As Grand Knight, he needs
to be a mediator, keep everyone interested, and do his best
in this top council position.
The Grand Knight is not alone
in this endeavor. He has a support group consisting of the
State Council officers, State
Directors and Chairman, the
State Chaplain and local councils members as well.
The Grand Knight needs a
positive attitude and leadership skills to lead a successful
council. He is responsible for
filing most forms which can be
done on-line through the
Knights of Columbus website kofcsd.org.
The answer to the question
“What do you want as Grand
Knight?” is - STAR COUNCIL.
This is the highest honor a
council can receive. To achieve
this it is necessary to keep
good records of the activities
done and he must commit to
getting Star Council and fulfilling the requirements and
keeping up with the timeline.
The Fraternal Planner is the
tool the Grand Knight needs to
use frequently to stay on task.
Being a Star Council is the
ultimate recognition for any
council. Star Council encompasses every aspect of success
for the council, the district,
your jurisdiction and the
Order. Star Council is the answer to the Order’s growth
today and the Order’s future
tomorrow!
One of the most
important jobs of the
Grand Knight is to
lead the growth of
his council.
With 8,454 members and
216 new members a year,
South Dakota is 2.5 years
away from 9,000 members.
Every new member recruit is a
record. Councils must recruit
and must retain.
The Knights of Columbus
needs to be 12-month councils.
We aren’t visible if we are shut
down for 3-4 months; churches
don’t shut down for the summer, so why should the
Knights. Grand Knights need
to promote the council being
visible - have the KC brand
out there when hosting an activity, such as a Corporate
Communion.
A positive attitude by the
Grand Knight is essential for
a successful council. He is the
leader. The Grand Knight’s attitude is the single most important influence of the
council. His attitude must
Mitchell Maher Council #1079 was one of the locations in the state hosting the Grand Knight
training sessions on Saturday, Sept. 12. Knights attending the Mitchell session included from
left, Tim Salmen of Madison, State Ceremonials Chairman; Paul Lambert of Madison, Supreme
Director; Josh Christensen of Parkston, Grand Knight; Collin Newton of Parkston, District
Deputy #11; Doug Timmer of Mitchell, Grand Knight; and John Lenz of Kimball, Recorder. Not
pictured is Mark Nesladek of Chamberlain, Chancellor and State Crusader editor.
trickle down into everything
that he does in leading his
council.
Being Grand Knight can be
one of the most rewarding
things you will ever do.
Communication. Acknowledge good things that happen
at the meeting and good deeds
of your council members at the
meeting or through emails or
other social media. The Grand
Knight must implement multiple methods to reach each of
its members. These means are
by Cell Phone, Email, Text,
Twitter, Facebook, and other
various social media avenues.
The Grand Knight also has
the job of keeping control of
the meeting and keep the flow
going, trying to discourage
conversations and various topics from being discussed out of
turn according to the sequence
of the meeting agenda.
New Communication Methods.
* Remind members of meetings and activities
* Members can get in touch
with you easily
* Each generation has their
own preferred way of communicating, look into social media
* You need to Email and
Text! It will make your job so
much easier
* Your members will appreciate knowing what is always
going on!
Monthly newsletters, council
brochures and websites are
also great council communication tools. A council brochure
can be put together for each
council which in turn can tell
a story about that council.
The Grand Knight needs to
ask someone to chair an activity and ask someone different
each time so the same people
or group are not always asked
to help with that activity.
The Grand Knight needs to
keep up-to-date with the Membership Roster to know the
current membership information, how many first degree
members are in the council,
and a roster recap of the member types (meaning what activities members would like to
participate in).
Happy members remain actively involved in the council.
The Grand Knight needs to
keep their interest and make
the members feel a part of the
group.
The Grand Knight needs to
set up a Retention committee
consisting of the Trustees and
the Deputy Grand Knight. The
Grand Knight himself and the
Financial Secretary should not
be a part of the Retention committee.
Learning the Job.
* Use Fraternal Planner
* Go to kofc.org website
often
* Read Columbia and
Knightline
* Read Directions from the
State
* Read articles in the Crusader. Each State Director has
an article to help you.
Council Membership Roster.
* Review this monthly
* Contains all of the councils’ current member information
* Check proper address for
Columbia magazine
* See how many first degree
members the council has
* Who are insurance members
Leadership Communication
Requests.
* Requests from District
Deputies, State Officers, State
Directors, our Administrative
Assistant need to be given
your utmost respect and time
... Please quickly respond to
these requests. It’s very important.
* That goes for your requests
of your fellow officers and
members. Demand their quick
responses as well. It’s professional courtesy.
* District Deputy will be
asking for pictures and information for their Kiosks for display at the State Convention
and District Deputy State
Convention Report (around
Feb./March)
* Please remember ... when
you don’t respond or you don’t
get a response, it will affect
someone else’s job.