Members of St. James Council 2299 in Logan, Ohio, helped the widow of a council member by renovating her home and thereby earned the International Council Activity Award.

One of the chief motivations of Father Michael J. McGivney when he founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882 was the care and support of widows and families. One hundred twenty-four years later, the fraternal brotherhood he established has maintained the founder’s ideals. 

Sean Smith’s sudden death in early 2005 came as a tremendous blow to his wife Shandra, and to the members of St. John Catholic Church and St. James Council 2299 in Logan, Ohio. Soon after the funeral Pat Robers and Judy Blevins, the wife and daughter of Past Grand Knight Deacon Donald Robers, visited Shandra at her home. Upon their return, they then discussed some household needs they saw with Deacon Robers, who sprung into action.

St. James Council, through the efforts of 25 members, performed a serious of updates and improvements – including a new driveway, a family-room addition, a waterproofed basement with storage shelving, several replaced windows and a new porch roof – to provide Shandra a more carefree home. The Knights raised nearly $5,300 to make the improvements from donations and a 50/50 fund raiser.

For its dedicated efforts in providing for the family needs of a deceased Brother Knight, in the spirit of Father McGivney, St. James Council 2299 was awarded the Knights of Columbus International Council Activity Award at the 124th annual Supreme Council meeting in Orlando, Fla. Aug. 2, 2006. Grand Knight and Mrs. Thomas Roberts accepted the award, along with Ohio State Deputy and Mrs. Gerald Eckstein.