International Youth Activity Awards

Top Finishers  • 2nd – Council 13111, Irvine, CA  • 3rd – Council 7444, Milford, MI  • 4th – Council 12164, Scottsdale, AZ  • 5th – Council 4358, Decatur, GA

First Place
Mary Mother of Good Counsel
Council 11847
Paranaque City, Luzon
Nine Weeks with the Needy Children

Mary Mother of Good Counsel Council 11847 in Paranaque City, Luzon, acknowledged the importance of setting a good example for the next generation and teaching them the skills they will need in the future. To this end, 58 Knights spent more than 5,200 hours during a nine week period teaching 64 needy children from their parish.

The children were separated into three groups and taught lessons based on their age and skill set. The first group, children ages four and up, were shown how to properly hold a pencil and how to recognize the letters of the alphabet. The second group was comprised of children ages 6 and up who had some basic reading and writing skills. The third group was more advanced students who were taught Catechism. Five nuns and ten college students of St. Rita College aided the Knights and their families with the lessons.

The Knights also provided food and drinks for the children following their three-and-a-half hour classes. Cash donations from council families paid for school bags, paper, pencils and other supplies. At the end of the program, a graduation and Eucharistic Mass was celebrated.

Second Place: Monsignor Timothy Doyle Council 13111
Irvine, California
Knights at St. Teresa Orphanage

Seven Knights from Monsignor Timothy Doyle Council 13111 and their wives traveled 170 miles with six vans full of presents, food and clothing for distribution at St. Teresa Orphanage and school for their Christmas party. More than 200 children participated in the party, and, besides the presents and candy for the children, the council gave a $500 donation to the orphanage. In total, 19 Knights and their families volunteered 87 hours to make this program, which has been taking place for 25 years, a success.

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Third Place: Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Council 7444
Milford, Michigan
A “Knight” for the Kids at St. Jude’s

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Council 7444 dedicated the proceeds from their entire fraternal year to supporting St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee. Their major events included a golf outing, a Polish dinner, selling St. Jude bracelets and selling 50/50 raffle tickets at a car show. The Knights also arranged for toy donations for the children from a local merchant. Knights expended 500 hours and raised close to $12,000 to support the hospital.

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Fourth Place: St. Bernadette Council 12164
Scottsdale, Arizona
Kids to Camp

Each year for the past eight years, the Knights of St. Bernadette Council 12164 have raised money to send impoverished children to St. Joseph’s Youth Camp for a week. In July 2007, they paid the expenses of 17 children to attend the camp. In addition to the tuition cost, the Knights cover fees for camp activities such as horseback riding, kayaking and more, plus they provide needed equipment such as clothing and toiletries. The camp itself is operated by the Knights of Columbus. Fundraising was done primarily through a “Kids to Camp” raffle.

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Fifth Place: Father Thomas O’Reilly Council 4358
Decatur, Georgia
Keep Christ in Christmas Poster Competition

The fourth annual “Keep Christ in Christmas” poster contest at St. Thomas Moore Catholic School, sponsored by Fr. Thomas O’Reilly Council 4358, involved all 400 students and helped them understand that Christmas is truly the festival of the birth of Jesus and is not about presents under the tree. The Knights have gained the full support of the school’s faculty, as they now grade the students’ posters to encourage participation. Winning entries are given gift certificates to a gift shop that sells religious items for the home.

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