Fr Bill Elser June Knight of the Month

The Knight of the Month is Fr. Bill Elser. Our Council has nine official Church functions each year, and several other Culture of Life, Council, Youth, and Community activities, plus over a dozen other parish-life activities that are faith-based initiatives for growing the domestic church. The next event is the affirmation of wedding vows on Father’s Day, 18 June, where we’ll all have the blessed opportunity to reflecton our marital commitments with his blessings. Events such as the Running of the Silver Rose, Mother’s Day appreciation, Founder’s Day honoring the venerable Fr. McGivney, our Memorial Mass and Dinner for departed Brothers and their faithful widows, the Seminarian Support Dinner, and events such as the Rosary in the Public Square, the March for Life, participating in Special Olympics, and so many more Knight sponsored events are made possible, successful, and totally supported by our Worthy Chaplain. Even renting this hall for our events is made possible by Fr. Bill’s support. Initiatives such as the Feast before the Fast, supporting “Into the Breach” discussion opportunities for Catholic gentlemen, providing reflections at all Council Meetings, attending the state and national conventions as our State Chaplain and debriefing us, enabling and encouraging our participation in Knight’s funerals with honorary condolences, and most importantly, providin spiritual guidance to meet our individual and collective needs must not go unheralded and deserve our sincere appreciation with a debt of gratitude.

The May 2017 Knight of the Month is Lanny Mabus.  Lanny is a member of the local woodworking club and he’s in charge of coordinating, making and distributing the book cases for Fountain Lake, Jessieville, and Mt. Pine Schools.  The book cases go to students that excel in reading above their grade level.  That’s a huge amount of book cases!

Lanny travels the region delivering food for seniors, and he’s been involved in that enterprise for years.  He volunteers for the love lunches, for CPID and for St Francis House.  Brother Lanny put over 4000 miles this past year going to and from St Francis House activities.  Let's congratulate this truly exemplary Brother Knight! 

April Knight of the Month

The April Knight of the Month is Doug Miezio.  Here’s a bit of background: In 2003, after 33 years of military service and 4 1⁄2 years with Lincoln’s Challenge Academy (a program conducted by the Illinois National Guard to help high-school dropouts improve their life coping skills and develop employment skills) Doug and Gerri retired to HSV from the Champaign-Urbana area in Illinois.  Since 2009, Doug has served on the Board of Directors of the HSV Junior Golf Association that has hosted thousands of Junior Golfer’s in the Village’s annual two-week programs.  Junior Golf is one of our significant Knight’s volunteer activities focused upon our Youth support. In addition to instructing young golfers, he modifies and regrips donated golf clubs for the  juniors.  Doug also maintains the two Junior Golf storage facilities.

Doug is a key member of our Food Service Volunteer Team, contributing to countless “feeding frenzies” such as the one we’ve enjoyed tonight.  We have 24 large dinners or breakfasts a year, ranging from about100 to 250 attendees each.  We served over 3,140 parishioners and guests at KofC  functions in the past year!  We can’t do that without dedicated Knight’s like Doug, and every one of them deserves our thanks and gratitude.  Imagine the planning, shopping, preparing, cooking, and cleaning up!

Doug is also a member of our Disaster Relief Team that assists in emergency situations, such as the tornado aftermath efforts we assisted with in Peron and within the Village.  His hobbies are golfing and working in his “shop”.

God bless you, Doug. You’re a stand-up volunteer and you well represent the first principal of our Brotherhood: Charity