Brother Knights,

Well, it’s time for another Columbian year to begin. Just to bring you up to date on how the summer went, June 9th, DGK Bro. Andrew Haynes and I went to St. Mary’s High School for the presentation of awards for a number of students and we were invited to meet the young lady chosen for the Lorne Dowling Bursary. It was a very nice evening.

June 11, was the 2nd and 3rd Degrees for Isaac Bernard and Eduardo Bataan. They are now full fledged Knights in our Council so congratulations to Brothers Isaac and Eduardo.

June 11 was also the start of the football season and since that date we have had Brothers volunteering for these games with great enthusiasm and I am very proud and thankful for the all the support that Council 4878 has had from all those who have stepped up. You all know who you are and I thank you. We are now half way through the season.

June 18th was the Grand Knights Ball and again I say thank you to all who helped and to all those who were able to make it. It was a very wonderful evening and very well attended.

This year the Stampede Breakfast was on July 10th and many Knights jumped in to help and it turned out to be a very successful breakfast with musical entertainment by our very own Barb Kouwenberg. Again, thank you to all the help outside and inside.

GOOD NEWS……….. Father Paul Raj has consented to be our Chaplain for the coming year. Thank you Father Paul. You are an inspiration to all of us.

As you are aware, the Knights, with the help of the ladies from the CWL, were instrumental in raising approximately $4000 from our garage sale, to go toward the screens for the Church. On the 20th and 21st. the screens were seen in use for the very first time and my own personal impression is that these screens are exceptional. I can hardly begin to say what a tremendous job Brother Kevin Lopresti and his crew have done to bring this episode in our church to fruition. Thank you to all and I am sure Brother Kevin will have more to say on the screens and how they are working.

Brothers Mike Driscoll, Henry Feddema and Leo Bunz were back on the roof on the 23rd of July and I do expect we will hear a report on how that weekend went as well as the following weekends. Thank you to all. I am also thankful to Brothers Leo Bunz, Frank Gerritsen and also Alec Stang for their efforts in building the “observing box “at St. Matthew School.

It is possible that a number of us Knights thought we might enjoy the summer off, after all we deserve that much. It seems that while it would be nice to have the summer off, it is apparent that the work of a Church is never ending and the work of the Knights of Columbus is never ending. Thank you to every Knight who has put in even the smallest effort to help with St. Cecilia’s Church, to help whenever Father Paul needed it and to whatever comes up where the Knights of Columbus can be of even the slightest help. See you all on the 7th of September for our first Council meeting, and may God bless you all.

Dave Allen

Grand Knight