Council Raffle Update

Brother Knights, just a brief update on the status of the raffle ticket sales. With only 12 days to go before the drawing we’re at $2,930 in recorded sales (approx. 34% of our target). Over the last week or so, 9 members turned in their ticket monies and another 9 informed me of their intent to sell or buy all their tickets. That would bring us to 43 members responding (approx. 50% of those receiving tickets). Great response and thanks for your support!  However, if we’re going to make this fundraiser a huge success and provide the Council with the funds for our various charitable causes we need EVERYONE who hasn’t responded to “step up to the plate” and help make this a success! We can’t do it without your help! Ticket stubs and monies can be brought to the business meeting on Monday December 1st in Lower Zeph Hall, dropped off at the St. William Rectory office, or mailed to Knights of Columbus Council 4064, PO Box 773, Walled Lake, MI 48390. Please do whatever you can to make this fundraiser a success - remember the first principle of our Order — CHARITY!   Jim Simpson PGK Program Director

Advice from your Field Agent

Sometimes it is easy to overlook the simplest of things.

Take the beneficiaries on your life insurance policies. If your policy was applied for and issued several years ago, it could very well be that the person you originally selected as the beneficiary is no longer the person you would want to receive the policy proceeds. If you bought the policy when you were single, for example, you may have named your parents as beneficiaries. If you have since been married, that could be updated to reflect your spouse or your children.

Most people list a primary beneficiary - that person is specifically designated as the first in priority to receive policy proceeds. We also encourage the naming of a contingent beneficiary - an alternate person designated to receive policy proceeds, usually in the event that the original beneficiary pre-deceases the insured.

I routinely call all of our policyholders for annual review appointments, usually near the anniversary date of your policy - the date it was originally issued. One of the matters that I’ll discuss during this review is the status of your beneficiary designations. If they need updating, and they often do, I can complete the paperwork during that appointment.

I look forward to meeting with each of you. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Raffle Update

Council welcomes 2 new Brothers

Our First Degree Team conducted a Ceremonial on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. following our officer’s meeting for two candidates to our Council. I am pleased to welcome, on the Council’s behalf, these two new brothers.

Paul Terzano has been an active member of the parish for many years. Paul is the master chef who has made the Monthly Pasta Dinners (following the 4:30 mass on the 3rd Saturday of the month) possible for the past 3 years. Paul together with his wife Laurie and their children, Daniel, David, Anna, and John Paul can not only be found serving spaghetti dinners every month, but are also active and indispensable members of St. William School, Youth Ministry, and the parish in general. Paul and his family have an orientation toward service to others that we, as Knights, hold in high esteem.. We proudly welcome Paul and his family to the Knights family.

Mark Kulwik and his wife, Judy and children, Brian, Christopher, and Amy are familiar fixtures at the 9 a.m. mass as well as the monthlt K of C breakfasts and other parish events. They are active (and industrious) members of the parish-sponsored Boy Scouts. The devotion, energy, and commitment that Mark and his family bring to our council are a welcome addition and blessing to our brotherhood.

Please join me in welcoming these two newest members to our ranks.

Raffle Update

The raffle returns are slowly starting to come in with $760 turned in as of today (11/1). If you have monies and stubs bring them to the breakfast on 11/2 or the meeting on 11/3. I will have extra tickets available for those who want to try and sell more. I’ll update the website weekly to keep everyone informed on the progress of this fundraiser. You can also call me to request additional tickets. thanks and keep up the good work!

Fall MI Drive a Great Success!

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of Steve Brown and all our council members who signed up with him to work a couple of hours or more on the street corners and storefronts around Commerce, Walled Lake and Wixom on Saturday, October 11, 2008. When all the bills were counted and the coins were rolled (and the Canadian change sold to Jerry Schultz’s daughter, we collected $2,814.98. After expenses for Tootsie Rolls and supplies of $49.98, we have net proceeds of $2,765.00 to forward to the State Council Mentally Impaired Fund. Of this amount our council designates $553.00 to be distributed by the State Council for state programs for the mentally impaired while the remaining $2,212.00 will be designated to be used here in our community to offset the cost of a paraprofessional to work with a downs syndrome child in the mainstream of the education system.

Once again, Thank you all for your efforts (and save us time on your busy calendar for the three day Palm Sunday weekend when we will be at it again in greater force)!

HCCS Sweatshirt Drive now through November 24

I want to remind you and your council members that the month of November is the Michigan Knights of Columbus HCCS Sweatshirt Drive. Each council is asked to participate in this effort to bring a small measure of Christmas Joy to those who are less fortunate than us.

Again we are asked to collect NEW Sweatshirts for distribution to the children at Holy Cross Children Services. As in past years donations are solicited from the parish members your Council serves.

We ask that you collect., NEW Sweatshirts - Sizes Large, Extra Large or Extra – Extra Large. Preferably the hooded type with team logo’s (Such as Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, etc.).

If they are boxed - Christmas type boxes are suggested. If the boxes are wrapped please indicate in writing on the outside of the box – Size and Gender (Female or Male).

My wife, Lady Sylvia, mentioned that Kohl’s Department stores have great sweater boxes that are ideal for this project. I suspect that other stores have similar boxes.

I will be collecting all packages at my home the week of November 24^th. My address is: 9121 Steep Hollow Rd., White Lake, MI 48386 – My home telephone is: 248-698-1679.

Thank you for all you and your council members do for our Order.

Fraternally,

Jack Washbourn

District Deputy # 78

Six Members Granted Honorary/Honorary Life Member Status

In a ceremony held at the regular membership meeting on Monday, September 8, 2008, six members of Council 4064 were granted Honorary or Honorary Life Member Status. The title conferred upon these Brother Knights is one which recognizes their distinction in having maintained themselves as members in good standing of the order for 25 continuous years and which recognizes and the selflessness and self-sacrifice with which they have aided the Order in the accomplishment of its noble aims. Please join me in honoring these men:

Joe Christensen

Bob Forge (Past Grand Knight)

Mike Godfrey

Ed Thomas

Jack Jamieson (Past Grand Knight)

Rev. Fr. Francis Suma

Membership approves new Dues Class for its Young Men

In a unanimous vote this evening at the regular business meeting, Council 4064 adopted an amendment to its bylaws which creates a new dues class for its young men.  The new dues class will apply to all members until they have reached their 26th birthday and will result is a dues rate of 1/2 the amount of associate and insurance member dues rates which now stand at $50.00 per year.  The new dues rate is welcomed as a means to encourage our young men who are just out of school or in college to become members without undue financial burden and in so doing to commit to the service to neighbor to which  we are called by Christ and to which the Knights of Columbus are dedicated.   The official text of the amendment follows:

Amendment to Motion to Change Knights of Columbus Council 4064 By-Laws

Article 1 Sec. 3 had read:

Each member shall pay annual dues, the same to be payable quarterly in advance at the first regular meetings in January, April, July, and October. The annual dues of members shall be set by Council vote, with a required 2/3 (two-thirds) majority vote of those members in attendance. The dues of associate and insurance members shall be the same.

Approved Change to Article 1 Sec. 3

Each member shall pay annual dues, the same to be payable quarterly in advance at the first regular meetings in January, April, July, and October. The annual dues of members shall be set by Council vote, with the required 2/3 (two-thirds) majority vote of those members in attendance. The dues of associate and insurance members shall be the same except for those members between the ages of 18 and their 26^th birthday whose dues will be  set at  fifty percent (50%) of the associate and insurance member rate .

This change to the By-Laws of Knights of Columbus Council 4064 will be effective October 1, 2008.

Saint William of Vercelli Council 4064 motion carries

At the regular business meeting held on September 8, 2008, the membership voted by an overwhelming majority (22-1) to approve the motion presented in August to change the council name from “Our Lady of the Lakes Council” to “Saint William of Vercelli Council”.  The name change is expected to end confusion over the council’s parish affiliation which is commonly mistaken to be Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Waterford.  In addition the name change will more closely identify the council with St. William Parish where most of its members worship.  Finally, the change reflects the parish-based character of the council which though originally established as a “hall-council” has long operated as a parish council through St. William Parish in Walled Lake, Michigan.