Geri and Dub Green

Dub and Geri Green were honored prior to the 10:00am mass on Sunday, November 1, at Sacred Heart of Jesus.  This special recognition for their brother knight and his spouse was initiated by Council 10208's Grand Knight Gary Wolfer and the Board of Directors.  Youth Director Walter Free coordinated the event, including the design and purchase of the plaque.  State Deputy Adrian Dominguez accepted an invitation to attend and present the award.  District 10 Director and Council Deputy Grand Knight Jimmie Rogers also participated. Council Chaplain and State Chaplain Father Bill Elser celebrated the mass.  There was reserved seating for Dub's brother knights and their spouses.  Many of  Dub and Geri's  parishioner friends were also in attendance.   

Dub and Geri have been involved in Special Olympics for 20 years, the first fifteen primarily as workers during the Olympics.  For the past five years Dub has served as a Director of Special Olympics Arkansas (SOAR) in charge of Knights of Columbus (KofC) support and “Olympic Town”.  Dub attended numerous planning meetings during the year, while Geri stays busy painting literally thousands of beads for the Olympians to make custom personal necklaces and bracelets at Olympic Town.  She also makes all the motel and other arrangements for the numerous knights attending the Olympics in Searcy to work during the Olympics.

During this period Dub and Geri have been selected five times as Knight Family of the Month by their Council. 

Olympic Town is a special area on the Olympic Games Site that is operated by the state KofC to provide entertainment and relaxation for the Special Olympians and their families when they are not participating in the actual Olympic events.  It consists of numerous carnival type games where all the participants win prizes while the wives and other volunteers assist with colorful nail painting and bracelet making with the custom beads that Geri spends the year making.

[Following the retirement of Dub and Geri from SOAR, Fred and Joan Jungers from the Hot Springs Village Council 10208 accepted the challenge of succeeding them.]
 
SOAR Executive Director Terri Weir provided the following comments from her committee members::

"Special Olympics Arkansas and Knights of Columbus have partnered for over 40 years with Olympic Town,

Plaque Given to Dub and Geri

golf tournaments and other fund raisers.  Knights of Columbus in many areas throughout the state cook for athletes during competition."

"Dub and Geri's drive to always make things 'better' is what makes their leaving so sad to us all.  Dub and Geri were the visionaries behind the scenes of making the Knights of Columbus partnership larger than ever, and increased funding has been very helpful as well.  More importantly, they reached out with their hearts and told their stories of Special Olympics to KofC councils all over the state, increasing awareness and opportunities for SOAR and KofC."

"From around 10 couples that would come and volunteer their time during Summer Games to this year, a record setting 38 couples that were part of the Summer Games' Olympic Town.  Their vision of bringing volunteers together for a lovely celebratory dinner was an excellent addition to the event."

"You know when you visit Olympic Town during Summer Games that their hearts are filled with kindness, love, acceptance and joy which answers the call of the Mission of Special Olympics."

"Our vision is to transform communities by changing lives through sports.  Dub and Geri's vision of life parallels Special Olympics athletes' lives, loves and triumphs."

"Dub and Geri will be missed, but we know that the foundation they began a few years ago to rebuild and strengthen the Knights of Columbus program and Special Olympics Arkansas will be their legacy."

"Much love and respect to them both!”  

Pictures of the award service and the mass can be viewed at PHOTOS.