“What’s a PR Chairman?” and More

Alex Cranstoun is the PR chair for the D.C. State Council. Knightline interviewed him to find out about his state’s success in sharing their story.

What is a PR chairman?
A PR chairman is someone who can manage social media accounts, build relationships with local media and help you get your council’s story out to your community.

What is the key message you share about the Knights in your area?
Our message is really about who the Knights are in their area. They are fathers, brothers, sons, who want to do good in their communities.

How do you identify which story to share?
By looking at each event’s specific goals, we’re able to identify who would be interested in learning about/supporting that event in the future, or if any local media would be interested in the event itself. In other words, a fraternal social event at a bar isn’t going to make the local media (nor should it), while assisting in the restoration of a set of stations of the cross just might be of interest to diocesan papers.

How did you become familiar with the media in your local area to attract their attention?
It’s all about building relationships and being open to working with them. Focusing on charity and unity will help, because a lot of local journalists want to share positive and uplifting stories. Keeping them in the loop about what’s going on is very beneficial as well, even in an informal manner.

Article originally published in Knightline, a monthly resource for K of C leaders and members. To access Knightline archives,
click here. Many things in the world have changed as well, but not for the better: What were once common and accepted beliefs about the nature of man and the God-given rights of the individual are up for debate. Many are now not only advocating for abortion all the way up to birth, but even condone infanticide in cases of “botched” abortions.

Despite all the craziness that has gone on in what St. John Paul II so famously called “the culture of death,” the Knights of Columbus has remained steadfast in protecting life. They are faithful to bedrock Catholic business principles and the teachings of the Church, not just on the life issues, but on other Catholic teachings that have been so viciously attacked in our day.

The fidelity of the Knights to Catholic teaching has only become more important to me as I’ve watched so much of the world fall into moral disrepair around us.

The Knights has been like a mighty boulder in the rapids, refusing to be dislodged as the water and the waves crash against it.

It is this steadfastness that gives me hope that no matter how dire things become in our culture, the Knights will stand firm in their convictions and hold fast to the truths of the faith.