United Family Council, Based in Lake City, Iowa
The Knights of Columbus is the largest Catholic family fraternal organization with membership at over 1.9 million worldwide. Our council is number 13507 (which indicates we are the 13,507th council within the Knights) and has 45 members from the area including parishes in Churdan, Lohrville, Lake City, Rockwell City, Auburn. Our current officers in 2018 include Grand Knight- Gene Gutshall, Treasurer- Ken Hying, and Secretaries-Paul Fields and Paul Stumpf.
There are four degrees within the Knights of Columbus. Each degree ceremony
teaches a lesson on the KC's core values of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism.
The Knights were originally formed 135 years ago in 1882 by Fr Michael McGivney in Connecticut to mutually benefit working class and newly immigrated Catholics who were suffering (especially widows and orphans) financially by making insurance available. Today, we have developed into a fraternal benefit society dedicated to the original ideals through insurance which is available (but, not mandatory) as well as providing charitable services such as Habitat for Humanities, promoting Catholic education, helping promote Catholic public policy positions, and defending Catholicism. We are here to assist our local priests and religious staff in any way we can.
Some of the things our local Council has done include:
1) Annual Memorial Mass for the deceased of the parishes,
2) Relay for Life,
3 )Free Throw Contest,
3) Wheel Chair Fund,
4) Remembrance Mass for deceased members,
5) Annual Tootsie Roll Drive(usual donation to Opportunity Living),
6) Member picnics,
7) Golf Outings,
8) Beef Raffle for our Volunteer Firefighters and EMTs,
9) Pennies for Education of Priests,
10) Men's Community Lenten Breakfast,
11) Our 2016 Raffle for St Mary's new addition raising over $3000.
We are here to make a difference in our parish and community, and through being a member helping causes worldwide.
Websites: Iowa Knights of Columbus and Supreme Knights of Columbus
Member meetings currently are the second Wednesday of the month at St Joseph's in Lohrville usually following 7pm Mass.
If you are interested in making a difference feel free to visit with any Knight for more information.
Grand Knight-Gene Gutshall
Treasurer-Ken Hying
Secretaries-Paul Fields, Paul Stumpf
