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On Sunday, February 12, the Hot Springs Council 6419 hosted the second 2nd/3rd Degree Exemplification of this fraternal year for Arkansas. In addition to the many knights who witnessed the new ceremonials, there were 40 candidates, including 17 from Hot Springs Village, 10 from Hot Springs, 5 from Benton, 3 from Mena, and 5 from Little Rock Councils.
Pictured (l-r) in the photo are Council 10208's candidates: Leo Cepicky, Dan Aylward, Walter Mitchell, Jim Dyar, Rick Meyers, Bob Highland, Ed Calhoun, Mark Kurowski, Mike Botkin, Diego Miceli, Dick Hoepner, Fred Johnson, Larry Linteau, Jim Anderson, Earnest Cooper, Don Caple, and Jim Cone.
Congratulations to our new 3rd degree knights.
TV Ad Shows God and Religion Key Themes for Prominent American Presidents
Presidents' Day commercial by the Knights of Columbus aired from Feb. 18-20
(NEW HAVEN, Conn.) - A new television commercial airing Presidents Day weekend reminds Americans how God and religion are foundational to this country.
Released by the Knights of Columbus, the minute-long spot highlights quotes from Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan - each focused on the foundational role that God and religion play in American rights and government.
"The idea that our rights come from God and that religion has a role to play in our nation's public life is not partisan or sectarian, it is quintessentially American," said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. "This Presidents Day is an excellent opportunity to remind Americans that God is - and has always been - foundational to this country and to our system of ordered liberty."
The spot is running on national cable networks between Feb. 18 and 20. It is also running in regional markets from Connecticut to California.
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Pictured (l-r) are the new knights from the Village - James Cone, Walter Mitchell, and Earnest Cooper - who join the other 298 members of Council 10208. Welcome!
Mountain Pine Counselor Phil Simm (l) accepting gift cards from Knight Bill Roe, coodinator of the Ham Sales project |
Ham Sales - completing its sixth year, this activity promotes the sale of Petit Jean meat products for the holiday season, Thanksgiving through Christmas. A $2,000 profit in 2009 was followed by $2,300 in 2010, and $2,750 in 2011. Having co-chaired the activity with Mike Welsh in 2010, Bill Roe chaired it in 2011. There were 23 "hamsters" involved, and they sold 272 individual products. Those knights selling in double digits include: Ed Cudworth - 32; Ray Ambrozich - 31; Bill Welch - 24; Milt Spaniel and Mike Welsh - 23 each; Bill Roe - 19; Bill Hartnett - 16; Roger Bresnahan - 12; and, Larry Stein - 10.
Needy families of the Alternate Learning Education (ALE) students and the Mountain Pine students were recipients of the gift cards. Since the number of awards is projected before the sales were concluded, ALE was given $1,200 and Mountain Pine $800 with the remaining $750 given to Sacred Heart's participation in the Village Christmas project.
Pitured (l-r) Mike Garstecki, Dan Alyward, Don Caple, Mark Kurowski, Vance Arlotta, and Diego Miceli |
The five local knights are Dan Alyward, Don Caple, Mike Garstecki, Mark Kurowski, and Diego Miceli. Vance Arlotta is the new knight from Hot Springs.
The Council's Exemplification Team did another excellent job in performaning the ceremonials. The Team included Bill Patterson, Tom Yerina, Gerald Krawczynski, Bill Janser, Mike Frantz, Mike Kerwin, and Jack Widlowski.
There was an excellent turnout by brother knights to support their team and to welcome the new members.
Congratulations to Membership Director Ed Cudworth and his Recruitment Committee for meeting the 2011-2012 membership goal so early in the fraternal year with 25 new members.
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The Team can assist vets with: 1) completing a onetime post-deployment health risk assessment; 2) helping with issues related to deployment injuries or illnesses; 3) helping navigate the VA system; 4) performing courtesy visits with OEF-OIF veterans who are hospitalized; and, 5) providing outreach activities to military units throughout Arkansas.
Pictured with Sister Noeline, Assistant Principal at St John's, are Milt Spaniel (l) and John Bodensteiner |
The coats come from a Supreme supplier in cases of twelve with the same color and gender with a mix of sizes. Each case is $195 and Supreme pays 50% of the shipping charges. As an additional incentive for Councils to participate, those which purchase and distribute eight cases in a fraternal year will meet the Columbian/Star Council requirement for the Youth category.
Working with Jim Passe were John Bodensteiner and Ed Keearns. Given his frequent contacts with area school counselors on Village Outreach projects, Ed quickly identified three schools (Fountain Lake, Jessieville, and Mountain Pine) that would each distribute two cases of coats to their needy families. John contacted the principal at St John's, who also wanted to participate. The 96 coats have already been distributed to the four schools, just in time for the cold weather covering Central Arkansas.
Although discussed, but not approved, during the original budget discussions by the officers and directors last June, this project will be funded primarily by three new sources of income: 1) profit from the November Memorial Mass and Banquet coordinated by Dick Breckon; 2) the Wisconsin Cheese Sales project being promoted by Cheesehead Ed Miller; and, 3) 50% of a $1,000 Walmart community award recently obtained by grant writer Milt Spaniel.
This successful program is another fine example of how the local council is meeting its stated charitable objectives.
Billboard on SR 70 east of Hot Springs |
In a financial collaboration with two other District 10 Councils, Benton and Hot Springs, Council 10208 has coordinated the installation of three highway billboards promoting the message - Keep Christ in Christmas. This is the third year that the local council has been involved with this project. In 2009, it had one on SR 7 east of Hot Springs. Last year in cooperation with Benton there were two with one displayed on I-30 and another on SR 5 in Bryant. This year there are three billboards.
The billboards with a navy blue background have the same format and message with each council identified as a sponsor with the 3rd Degree emblem. They are located as follows: on I-30 eastbound before exit 126; on SR 70 westbound east of Hot Springs, midway between Westinghouse Drive and Magic Springs (by Arkansas Light and Power); and, SR 7 eastbound near Fountain Lake schools and across from Sonic.
While Council 10208 remains the primary financial sponsor for this project, involving the other two councils allows for broader coverage of this important message to combat the increasingly materialistic view of Christmas.
Pictured (l-r) are Ted Otero, Steve Schramer, Tony Shields, Bill Gribbon, Floyd Hodge, and Ed Miller. |
This was the first exemplification in Arkanas with the revised ceremonials for the 3rd Degree. Congratulations to the 1st Degree Knights for taking these important next steps and thanks to the mentors for accompanying them.
Plans are underway for Council 6419 in Hot Springs to host a 2nd/3rd Degree Exemplification in mid January, 2012. Grand Knight Dennis Bosch and District 10 Deputy Ed Miller are trying to schedule it, and an announcement of the date should be made soon.
Pictured (l-r): Bruce Burton, Matt Schoultz, Larry Linteau, Ed Watson, and Kenny Scott |
The 1st Degree Team consisted of Ron and Roy Anderle from the Msgr A.P. Gallager Council 7258 in Mena, and Ed Cudworth, Buddy Dixon, Mike Frantz, Bill Janser, and Bill Patterson from local Council 10208.
Also in attendance were District 10 Deputy Ed Miller, Grand Knight Dave Johnston, and Financial Secretary Tom Thornton.