Military Knights

Immediate Past State Deputy Wally N. Streit presents Father Jim Brown of Candian Forces Base Edmonton with several copies of Armour of Faith/Armure de Foi, a Catholic handbook for Canadian military personnel that is published with support from the Knights of Columbus. When Streit and Joe Smith of Edmonton Council 1184 learned that the Canadian Armed Forces had run out of religious medals for deployed soldiers, they immediately collected $4,500 from area councils to purchase 8,000 medals of St. Christopher and St. Michael. These were delivered along with 4,000 copies of Armour of Faith/Armure de Foi.

Members of Daniel R. Sanford Assembly in Visalia and Father Dade Assembly in Tulare stand in front of a World War II mural in Visalia during a memorial service, Sept. 10. The event, co-sponsored by both assemblies, was held in honor of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and all military personnel. Approximately 100 people attended the service.

Lt. Col. Kevin Holeman (center) of Arden-Carmichael Council 4970 is welcomed by his family after returning home from Afghanistan. Holeman, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army, was one of two council members returning home from active service. The other, Sgt. Miguel Sabral, was injured during an insurgent attack and received a temporary medical leave. He will return to Iraq in the future to complete his fourth tour of duty.

Isabella Council 15 in Southington hosted 20 residents of the Connecticut Veterans Home in Rocky Hill to an outing at a baseball game between the Connecticut Defenders and the New Britain Rock Cats. With additional financial assistance provided by the Rock Cats and American Legion Post #72, each attendee received a box seat, food voucher and team cap.

Fourth Degree Knights provide an honor guard at a Mass honoring Servant of God Father Vincent Capodanno Sept. 3 at the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. More than 40 Knights from area councils attended the Mass, which was sponsored by Catholics in the Military. Father Capodanno, a U.S. Navy chaplain serving with the Marines, was killed while ministering to soldiers in Vietnam. (Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese for Military Services, USA)

Our Lady of the Rosary Assembly in Bonita Springs donated six new wheelchairs to the Fort Myers Outpatient Clinic of the VA Health Care System. The chairs will be used to comfortably transport veterans to various treatment centers throughout the clinic.

Prince of Peace Council 8791 in Ormond Beach donated a wheelchair to the Emory L. Bennett Veterans Nursing Home in Daytona Beach. The donation was made through the Order's partnership with the American Wheelchair Mission.

Tom Shaver of Father Emil J. Kapaun Council 11987 at the Sembach Air Base in Germany looks on while Father Michael Morris blesses a grill laden with food. Knights cooked for the base's annual Catholic community picnic, serving steak bratwurst, hamburgers and hot dogs from more than 600 attendees.

Bishop John J. Kaising Council 14223 at the U.S. Army Base Camp Humphreys near Osan, South Korea, coordinated the donation of rice for the homeless and needy. The food was distributed at a home for abused girls in Seoul, at a soup kitchen in Incheon, and at migrant worker centers in Buchon and Gasan. Since 2000, the Yongsan Garrison Catholic community has given more than 100,000 pounds of rice to the needy.

The Balad (Iraq) Air Base Round Table donated a wheelchair and walker to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group, Joint Base Balad Theatre Hospital. Knight Philip Mort purchased and shipped both items to Iraq while he was home on leave. The wheelchair and walker will be given to local Iraqi citizens who have suffered injuries during the conflicts in their homeland. The Balad round table is sponsored by St. John Bosco Council 11762 in Lakewood, Wash.

Gate of Heaven Council 468 in Huntington sponsored "Operation Shoebox" to collect care packages for members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The packages were delivered to the 106th Wing of the New York Air National Guard, whose wingmen, medics and flight crews have been rotating in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Father Joseph O'Connell Council 3481 in Oceanside hosted a benefit gala that raised $24,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides programs and services to severely injured soldiers and their families while they transition back into civilian life.

Lloyd Kelso, Glenn McClary and George Ramsey flash their gold medals after returning from the 2009 National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Spokane, Wash. The nine K of C councils that comprise Bishop McGuinness Assembly in Raleigh donated funds to help send the athletes to the annual competition.

Lt. Col. Terence McDowell, commander of the Warrior Transition Batallion (WTB) and Command Sgt. Alvin Brown present Joe Kinzer of Father Robert T. Lawson Assembly in Southport with a certificate of appreciation in honor of the assembly’s wounded warrior luncheon. Knights treated veterans at Fort Bragg — many of whom are recovering from wounds sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan — to a steak barbecue.

Fourth Degree Master Richard L. Tabler (left) presents Robert Melvin with a letter of congratulations during Melvin's Fourth Degree exemplification. Melvin, 85, served in the U.S. Marines in World War II and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He is a member of Lake Geneva (Wis.) Council 1647.

The Knights of Columbus Columbus Chapter voted to extend its outreach to military veterans, especially those with vision impairments. Besides collecting talking watches, radios and canes, a group of Knights also sponsored a group of five veterans to attend the National Tee Tournament in Iowa.

St. Joseph the Worker Council 10921 in Orefield shipped 3,600 prayer cards to troops stationed in Iraq. After receiving a request from council member Lt. Col. Von George, Knights designed and mailed four types of prayer cards that feature St. Michael, St. George, St. Maurice and St. Barbara.

Holy Spirit Assembly in Simpsonville donated 100 Catholic prayer books to the Catholic chaplain, Father Edward J. Kelly, at Fort Jackson in Columbia. The books will be distributed to Catholic soldiers as they process through Fort Jackson to military posts throughout the world.

District Deputy Helmut Bunjor of Tennessee District #6 pins a promotional medal on Maj. Gabriel Mesa of Father John A. Nolan Council 3537 in Clarksville. Mesa asked that Bunjor perform the duty as a sign of solidarity with the Knights and all they do for members of the Armed Forces.

Jesse Garay (left) of Oak Cliff Council 3593 in Dallas and Michelle Cummins, gift coordinator for the Brooke Army Medical Center, unload care packages for wounded veterans. Knights and Catholic Daughters undertook a project called "Operation Boxer Shorts" to collect underwear, workout clothes and bathing suits for soldiers recovering at the facility.

Cpl. Justin Fortunato of Auburn Council 3598 speaks to a class at Holy Family School on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Fortunato enlisted in the Marines after the attacks and was home on leave this past September. He took the opportunity to speak to students at Holy Family School about his experience in the Armed Forces. Council 3598 also hosted a Blue Mass at Holy Family Church that same day in honor of local servicemen, veterans and first responders.

Father John Francis "Jake" Laboon Council 13395 at Naval Base Kitsap in Silverdale donated $150 to Riding 4 Hope, a coast-to-coast bicycling trip undertaken by Knight David Mackovjak and his sons, John and James. The three men departed Silverdale June 28 and arrived in Virginia Beach Aug. 9. The charity ride raised more than $10,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project and for the Boys and Girls Club.

To subscribe to the "Military Knights in Action" e-newsletter, please visit www.kofc.org/military. To submit military-related reports, simply click on the link at the bottom of this page or e-mail Columbia Associate Editor Patrick Scalisi at patrick.scalisi@kofc.org.