The Knight's Shield - October 2018

Published on: Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Please welcome our newest Brother Knight, Richard Motta to our council. Richard became our latest council member by taking his Admission (1st) Degree at St. Lawrence on September 13th.

Also, please welcome two Brother Knights, David Wisnewski and Michael Mitrowski, who have transferred to our council.

This past month was a difficult month for our council. The Lord took home Three Brother Knights from our council alone. Brothers Bill Gowland, Thomas Hayes and Tony Valentine were called home by the Lord. Please remember to keep them and their families in your prayers. A total of seven Brother Knights from our council will be honored with a Memorial Mass hosted by the Knights of Columbus Detroit Archdiocesan Vocation League (DAVL) at Sacred Heart Major Seminary on November 4th at 10am. This is open to all Knights and their families. If you are interested please let me know by October 22.

Thank you to everyone who attended our Corporate Communion in September. We had a nice turnout. Most wore our grey polo shirts. If you need to pick up a grey polo be sure to see Craig Thompson. Our next Corporate Communion will actually be a District Corporate Communion on November 18th at the 11:30am Mass. The council is also sponsoring coffee and donuts after the Mass!

There were over 100 golfers who participated in the September DAVL Golf Outing at Sycamore Hills. I counted at least a dozen golfers from our council. The weather was a little refreshing. However, no rain gear was needed! Thank you for supporting vocations!

Be sure to review the calendar for upcoming October events and sign up at our next General Meeting which just happens to be on Columbus Day! We have Pancake Breakfast, Road Clean-up and Trunk or Treat.

The next euchre party is also coming up right away on October 6th. Call me to save a spot.

Thank you to all of you who have been at the meetings regularly. Please consider calling someone you haven’t seen for a while and ask how they’re doing. See if they’re in need of a ride or friendly reminder when the next meeting takes place.

Vivat Jesus
Mike Hartel

The Knight's Shield - September 2018

Published on: Thursday, August 30, 2018

Please welcome our newest Brother Knight, William Pirrami, to our council. Bill became our latest council member by taking his Admission (1st) Degree at St. John Vianney on August 18th.

The annual ice cream social for the parish on the last weekend in July was very popular. The weather was beautiful and the council helped the chairman, Rick Okerhjelm, tremendously. Thank you everyone! Ken D. has placed a nice photo slide show on the council website.
Click here to view the video

I gave Father Jerry the Birthday card the council members signed at our August General Meeting with a gift card for Luigis. He thanked us for all that we do.

The inaugural council camping trip at Lakeport State Park in August was very nice. We had nice weather, Lake Huron was perfect for swimming, the campfires and social time was excellent. We had a total of about a dozen campers on six separate campsites. Good food, along with a few visitors and some nice weather made for a wonderful Saturday evening pot luck dinner.

We are starting to plan for next year already and are targeting the weekend before the Dream Cruise in August 2019 with the same venue.

Thank you to everyone who attended the District Corporate Communion and Officer Installation at St. John Vianney. An excellent meal was served by the host council, St. John Vianney, after the ceremonies. Sue Nellis, Executive Director from Compassion Pregnancy, thanked all the councils who helped with the renovation work earlier this year at the Compassion Pregnancy facility, and provided a cake for dessert.

Be sure to review the calendar for upcoming September events such as our Corporate Communion, Texas Hold’m (sign-up sheet at our next General Meeting) and the DAVL Golf Outing (See flyer).

Note that October is right around the corner with some of our bigger events scheduled such as Pancake Breakfast and Trunk or Treat.

The next euchre party is also coming up on October 6th. A sign-up sheet will be available at our next meeting. Please note that we had 56 players at the last party. Capacity is 60 players. So save yourself a spot and sign up early. A notice to the parish for euchre will be placed in the September 23rd and 30th church bulletins.

Thank you to all of you who have been at the meetings regularly. Please consider calling someone you haven’t seen for a while and ask how they’re doing. See if they’re in need of a ride or friendly reminder when the next meeting takes place.

Vivat Jesus
Mike Hartel

Knights Ice Cream 2018 Video

Published on: Sunday, August 12, 2018

The Knight's Shield - August 2018

Published on: Friday, July 20, 2018

Please welcome our newest Brother Knight, Ken Dudley, to our council. Ken became our latest council member and the first one taking his Admission (1st) Degree online. Ken has been involved with our council for a while now. He has set up our council website: spotknights.com.

With the council membership and insurance goals met for the fiscal year ending June 30th, our council has reached Star Council! Congratulations to everyone for a job well done.

Thank you everyone who helped Rick Okerhjelm set up and take down the tent for the Vacation Bible Experience. I also would like to thank Rick for cooking a wonderful fish dinner for our July meeting while braving the 90 degree heat!

The Summer Diocesan Meeting was held in July at St. Isidore. Some of the many items discussed were membership sustainability, programs and the new dashboard being released for officers submitting forms to the State and Supreme.

Be sure to review the calendar for upcoming events such as the council camping trip to Lakeport and District Corporate Communion with Officer Installation in August. Also note we have Texas Hold’em, Corporate Communion and the DAVL Golf Outing coming up in September.

Thank you to all of you who have been at the meetings regularly. Please consider calling someone you haven’t seen for a while and ask how they’re doing. See if they’re in need of a ride or friendly reminder when the next meeting takes place.

Vivat Jesus
Mike Hartel

New Owner Keeps Big Boy’s Friendly Atmosphere

Published on: Tuesday, July 17, 2018

When retirement seemed right for the longtime owner of the Big Boy eatery on Maple Road, Brother Knight Gerry Vento took notice. He’s been working on the corporate side of the company for a decade, but always wanted to have his own restaurant, and this was the perfect time. He took over operations on April 26 of this year and is now getting to know all the neighborhood’s long-time customers. “I’ve been in the industry for 28 years,” Vento notes. “I started when I was 15 as a dishwasher, moved to the Chuck Muer Corporation and then the last 10 years with Big Boy.” Now it’s on to a new adventure. The Macomb Township resident smiles, and adds, “I’m very glad I did it. This is a great location, and I have a great staff and great customers.” And, all the things you love about Big Boy, home of the original Double Decker Cheeseburger, are still available at this restaurant, which is now over 80 years old. (It’s not too late in the season for strawberry pie.) They still have shakes, malts, and yes, root beer floats, perfect for this weather. The Salad Bar is available from 9 a.m. to close. There’s an all-you-can eat Breakfast Bar on Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plus, you can have breakfast any time and there are literally dozens of entrees from burgers to pasta to fish. You won’t be disappointed and the prices are still modest. For those with allergies, the Big Boy menu marks any item that may contain nuts. “I love the hospitality industry,” Vento confesses. “I enjoy people having a good experience and I want the food service they’re getting to be exceptional. I love taking care of people.” What Gerry wants is his own “Cheers” where everyone knows your name. And, he seems able to greet everyone coming in at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday morning by name. This Big Boy is also a bit of a Vento family affair, too. Gerry’s wife Terri, who works at Gleba & Associates financial planners up on Square Lake in Troy, is keeping the restaurant’s books. Son Vincent, whose home for summer from Central Michigan where he’s studying prelaw, is a server this season. And daughter Genna, who plans to be a teacher, will probably be able to find work here when she’s ready. Big Boy is open from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Come and enjoy the friendly atmosphere and tasty food.

THE LONG-TIME TROY Big Boy
Restaurant at 200 Maple Road just
West of Livernois has a new owner,
Brother Knight Gerry Vento.

The Knight's Shield - July 2018 - New Grand Knight Mike Hartel

Published on: Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Brother Knights, thank you for your confidence in selecting me to be your Grand Knight. It will be an honor to serve and help lead our great council that has been shaped over the past 20 years by our officers, directors, chairmen and all Brother Knights who have and continue to support the spirit and principals of our order.

I would like to thank all outgoing officers and directors for their time, hard work and dedication they have given to this council. A special thanks to our outgoing Grand Knight, Art Krygowski and Membership Director, George Loewen. Do not be concerned that Art and George are retiring completely from our council officer and director ranks. Art was elected to Trustee and will also stay on as our Council Youth Director. George will remain as our Council Community Director.

Congratulations to all of our incoming officers and directors. I look forward to working with all of you in the coming fraternal year. I would especially like to welcome the following officers and directors to their new positions: Tom Gray, Deputy Grand Knight (Tom has been our Chancellor for the past two years); Steve Kargenian, Chancellor (Steve has been a trustee for 3 years and has recently volunteered to chair our pancake breakfast), Phil Mularski, Membership Director (Phil has been active with recent membership recruiting efforts by creating the pamphlets and articles such as ‘Why become a Knight?’ and the ‘24 Hour Knight’ while also leading the rosary for many of our fallen brothers); Frank Burda, Lecturer (Frank has been filling in for Jim Hubbard). Please support these brothers in their new roles and continue to support all our officers and directors! We are a very active and dynamic council. Thank you all for your time and effort you have given to this council!

Please welcome three new Brothers Knights to our Council: James Perreault, Anthony Radman and Steve Szypa. They completed their admission degree joining our council on June 25th.

You will find that proper communication is very high on my priority list for a well-organized council. Effectively communicating with our brother knights, parish staff, fellow parishioners and the general public is a key element to successful events, fundraisers and a smoothly well run council. To try and help improve communication and help streamline our monthly General Meeting, the monthly Officer Meeting is being renamed to Council Planning Meeting. All council members are welcome to this meeting. They are typically held on the fourth Thursday of the month. This is a good place to bring ideas for consideration to the council and to initially request support for a charity you are supporting. It is especially important for all Officers, Directors and Chairmen to try and attend these meetings.

I encourage the council, which is all of you, to get more active with the newsletter. Maybe you just read a good joke that would be appropriate for the Lighter Side of the newsletter. This newsletter is OUR council newsletter and not just an exercise or busy work for the Grand Knight and our editor. We have received many compliments on the quality of our newsletter. This is one of our main opportunities to communicate with not only our council members but with our families, fellow parishioners, other councils and the general public. All event chairmen, please take the time to send an article to our editor (Chris Gapczynski) for our monthly newsletter a month or two before your event. Be sure to check the latest newsletter for article deadlines.

I would like to thank Ted Czarny for spearheading the hard copy mailing of our newsletter the last few years. Also, Hank Leflere, Phil Kwasny, George Sakorafos and Ralph Pullis who help with the final prep work to mail the newsletters each month. FYI, through our effort to email the newsletter to as many council members as possible, instead of mail-ing a hard copy, we are saving the council over $1000 a year in postage and printing expenses! Thank you!

Now that summer is here, try to take some time and enjoy some of that beautiful God-given sunshine while we have a slightly slower pace in our council and plan to come back physically, mentally and spir-itually refreshed by the time September arrives when we know the pace will quicken.

Please remember our fallen brother Ken Dom-browski. Please keep Ken and his family in your prayers.

Vivat Jesus
Mike Hartel

The Knight's Shield - June 2018

Published on: Monday, June 4, 2018

Please welcome to 11689 our newest Brother, Greg Kropidlowski, who completed his admission degree, hosted right here at St. Paul of Tarsus. Also thank you to Chuck Lomasney for standing in as a candidate from 11689 so Greg was not alone.

At the time of this writing we need two more candidates to receive Star Council. Please help keep this honor ongoing for 11689 and ask a friend or someone you know to consider joining the Order. The next admissions degree is at St. Lawrence on Thursday, June 14, at 6:30 pm.

It is with sadness that I am informing all of you that Brother Carl R. Maron, 78 years old, went home to the Lord on May 9, 2018. Please keep Carl and his family in your prayers. May he rest in peace.

This will be the last message from me to you as your Grand Knight. It has been my honor to serve Council 11689 as your Grand Knight! I stepped into a great legacy of past Grand Knights, and I hope that I lived up to your expectations as your Grand Knight! Thank you to my beautiful wife Janice, who without her love, support and guidance I would not have been able to perform my duties to 11689.

In a very short month. I will become your Past Grand Knight as I take on a different role in our council as the Three Year Trustee. As it was a unanimous decision this year, our council elected current Deputy Grand Knight, Mike Hartel as our new Grand Knight. It has been a quick two years for both of us, and I know Mike will lead our council to new heights during his time as Grand Knight! Looking back on the past two years, it is hard to believe that twenty four months have passed since you elected me as your Grand Knight. Thank you for trusting me to lead our council. Together, we have accomplished a great deal for our community, parish, and our families. Even though we have made many strides toward greatness, there is always more that we can do to build the domestic church and our Brotherhood. You have my commitment that as the three year trustee, I will work as hard as I did in this past two years to meet and exceed the needs of the community and church.

The 2018 State convention is now over, and on behalf of our 1st alternate delegate Ted Czarny and his wife Sherri (Deputy Grand Knight Mike Hartel and his wife Karla were unable to attend), and my wife Janice and I, we would like to thank all of our Brother Knights for allowing us to represent 11689 at this great event. The new State Officers will be ready for their new positions starting July 1st. I would like to thank our Worthy State Deputy Ken Unterbrink for leading the State of Michigan for the last two years through a very difficult time as we lost our Worthy State Secretary Tony Vittorini...may God rest his soul. Tony was awarded the Posthumous Golden Knight Award.

The New State officers are:
State Deputy: William Chasse
State Secretary: Walter Winkle Jr.
State Treasurer: Christopher Kolomjec
State Advocate: Barry Borsenik
State Warden: Charles McCuen (shown below)

The guest speaker this year was Worthy Deputy Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Patrick Kelly.He is also the executive director of the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. He talked to us about Long Term Sustainability of Brother Knights, and how everyone knows who the Knights of Columbus are, but they don’t know what we do. The Knights have produced a video series on this topic, and he would like us all to view and pass out the link to anyone you can:

The skies cleared and the Living Rosary was able to be prayed as tradition.

Hundreds praying and waiting for the rain to hold off for the Living Rosary. As usual the weather cooperated and the front lawn of the Grand Hotel provided the ideal location. Below the balloons of the Rosary released to Heaven.

To the Officers who will be completing their terms, I extend my sincerest thank you for the performance of your positions. It has been my pleasure to serve with each of you. To those who have been newly elected as an officer, I congratulate you and wish each of you well during the coming fraternal year. At our May general membership meeting, elections were held and the fol-lowing Brothers were elected to serve as your officers for the coming year:

The Man of the Shroud Exhibit was on display from May 31st until June 4th. I hope you had a chance to stop by and see this wonderful event. The Shroud of Turin has long been venerated by the faithful and is believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. The Shroud is one of the most scientifically studied religious icons in history. As science has progressed, so has the speculation on how the image of the crucified man of the Shroud was made. Thank you to Fr. Jerry for allowing the Knights of Columbus to bring this to St. Paul of Tarsus and the many people it took to assemble, disassemble and support the event.

Special thank you to Msgr. Todd Lajiness, Rec-tor and President of Sacred Heart Major Semi-nary in Detroit. Msgr. Todd lived and studied in Rome while he was Cardinal Szoka’s secretary. He has studied the shroud while he was in Rome and continues to share his wonderful presentation and reflections on the Man of the shroud.

Thank you to Steven Kargenian, our new pan-cake breakfast chairman, for his behind-the-scenes organization, and Phil Kwasny for putting on another successful breakfast...along with all the help that jumped right in to serve St. Paul’s.

Thank you to Greg Csernai for organizing our annual spring roadside cleanup. We had a small turnout, but we got’er done! Thank you to Ray Coughlin, Greg Csernai, Tom Gray, Mike Hartel, James Lambertus, Ralph Pullis and Gary Skarb for coming out and having some fun!

Many people have been asking for the Larger K of C lapel pins. I have them available for purchase – the cost is $5.00 each. Anyone interested can get one at the General Membership or Officers meetings.

Vivat Jesus
Art Krygowski
Grand Knight / Youth Director