Beach K of C celebrates 25 years and award
The Knights of Columbus 10318 Ascension Council on Fort Myers Beach recently celebrated a silver milestone with a 25-Year Anniversary Gala at the Church of the Ascension Parish Hall. The event occurred on April 11 -the same date that K of C officials signed their charter in 1990- and featured Florida officers and clergy as well as local dignitaries of the local chapter.
Local K of C officials, who originally received the coveted Triple Star Council Award in November by District Deputy Ed Sedillo in recognition of outstanding achievement in membership, insurance and service program activities, were re-presented with the honor. Awarded by the Supreme Council, located at the Knights national headquarters in Connecticut, the prestigious award has been given to only nine Councils in the state of Florida (out of 384 K of C Councils).
“Since we were having a big celebration, we decided to call it a ‘Triple Star Gala’,” said K of C 10318 Ascension Council Grand Knight Dennis Robinson. “It was a very nice affair that started with a Mass featuring an honor guard. Everybody had a really good time, and we got a lot of positive feedback from all the state officers on how well run and organized it was. It was a night to remember.”
Robinson, who has been Grand Knight on the Beach for four years and in Pennsylvania for 12 years, stated that only 224 Councils have received the Triple Star Award out of more than 10,000 Councils in all of North America. The Beach K of C Council, with roughly only 40 active members of the 84-member group, worked hard to gain such a desirable award.
“The magnitude of that award is tremendous,” he said. “It was quite an achievement for us. There was a lot of hard work, everybody stayed focused and the stars aligned.”
According to K of C member George Pacharis, Robinson worked “tirelessly for two years” to arrange the day’s events so that all the state dignitaries, including State Deputy Paul M. Koppie and Florida State Master Robert Read, could enjoy the event. Beach Mayor Anita Cereceda attended the event and presented a Town proclamation declaring April 11 to be Knights of Columbus Day.
“It was like a mini-state convention here on little Fort Myers Beach,” said Pacharis.
Size doesn’t always matter with nonprofit organizations. There are approximately only 250 parishioners at the Ascension compared to roughly 4,000 at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Bonita Springs.
“We’re a very small group, yet we are a very active Knights of Columbus Council,” said Pacharis. “The Triple Star Award is the highest level you can get as a Council.”
The “Triple Star Council” help the Ascension parish financially and spiritually as well as teaming up with other Knights to support communities and other charitable causes, says Pacharis.
During the years, Ascension Council has donated more than $350,000 in direct financial support to its parish, including $20,000 for a new rectory. Members labored for six months to remodel the church hall, purchased new tables, chairs and kitchen equipment, remodeled the restrooms and recently provided funds to purchase a new air conditioning system.
Pacharis stated Council members also visit the sick and dying in area hospitals and nursing homes and sponsor masses for their deceased members, living and deceased veterans, law enforcement officers and firefighters. They also join 1.8 million Knights across the country in the “Keep Christ in Christmas” campaign and have worked with Perkins restaurants and NBC Television in their Christmas Tree gift program.
Charities include Catholic Faith Appeal, St. Vincent DePaul Society, The Boy Scouts of America, St. Francis School in Fort Myers, FMB St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Immokalee Pregnancy Center, Homeless Veterans in Lee County, K of C Run for Life – West Coast of Florida, Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, The Share Foundation for the Handicapped, K of C Global/American Wheelchair Mission, Bay Oaks Community Center, Spirit of the Holidays, The Children’s Home Society, Our Mothers House of South West Florida, Ascension Parish Youth Religious Education, Haitian Children’s Fund, Rice School of Ministry and Sisters of Poor Clare.
While the local Knights made a large donation to Immokalee Pregnancy Center that purchased an ultrasound machine two years ago, Pacharis personally enjoys helping out the Homeless Veterans in Lee County, while Robinson oversees all charities.
“It’s my job to make sure we have enough funding to support all these charities,” Robinson said.
Last year, after the final financial report was completed, the local K of C donated more than $17,000 to its charities.”
This can be contributed to a long list of sponsors that are important to the local K of C organization.
“Thank you to all our sponsors that made this possible,” said Robinson. “Without them, financially we wouldn’t be able to do it.”
K of C organizations are known as fraternal benefit societies. Besides Robinson, the 2015 Ascension Council Officers include Rev. Robert Murphy, chaplain; Deputy Grand Knight Roger Chouinard;
Financial Secretary Keith Szyperski; Treasurer Norman Alves; Recorder Carl Grondin; Chancellor Jerry Phillips; Advocate Thomas Cameron; Warden William Marx; Outside Guard Edward Becht;
Inside Guard Pietro Vitale; One Year Trustee Richard Cain; Two Year Trustee Robert Spates; Three Year Trustee Frank Murray; and Field Agent John Uzdilla.
The Knights are looking toward the state convention held in Orlando in May. Accolades will continue to pour in.
“We were the very first one of the nine in the state of Florida to gain Triple Star Council,” said Robinson. “During the state address, the Deputy director mentioned us. We expect they will mention us again at the convention.”