The Lake Current - January 2020
Welcome to the January edition of our Council newsletter! Here's a couple of quick (but important!) notices before we get into the news, followed by an important message from the Grand Knight:

  • Our regular monthly business meeting is this Wednesday, January 8th, starting at 7:30 p.m. We'll be serving a home-cooked dinner for only $5 starting around 6:30 p.m. There are many activities to plan for and important business news to share with the membership, so all members should attend!

  • The Beefsteak is this Saturday! If you're coming and didn't let us know, please contact GK Steve or Anthony Falco TODAY and let them know! Also, please remember to bring a bottle of wine or spirits, or other raffle items, to the meeting on Wednesday so we can make up the gift baskets. Full details on the event appear below.
Adults' Christmas Party Nets $1,820 for Parish Food Pantry!

We prove over and over again that we can have a great time together and help people in need at the same time. At this year's adults' Christmas Party we had a delicious feast prepared by our in-house Kitchen Crew, and we raised $1,820 in supermarket gift cards for the St. James the Apostle Parish Food Pantry! That topped last year's total donation by $265!

We had another great turnout for this year's party. Our members and guests dined on a free, hot buffet that included sliced steak, deep fried turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy, orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe, roasted chicken, rigatoni alla vodka, and Caesar salad. Everything was cooked fresh and from scratch on-premises. And thanks to our Ladies Auxiliary, we had a dessert table filled with sumptuous holiday specialties.

Thanks so much to everyone who made this annual event the best one ever, including our kitchen volunteers and everyone who donated so generously to make a less fortunate family's Christmas a little brighter.
The "JO" Men's Beefsteak - Jan. 11th

This is the last call for reservations for our Fifth Annual James "J.O." O'Neill Memorial Men's Beefsteak Dinner on Saturday, January 11th !

This year we're earmarking the funds we raise to benefit St. James School!

Doors open at 3 p.m. for the afternoon playoff game and cash bar. Dinner at 5 p.m. includes our signature, charcoal grilled gourmet filet mignon, steak fries, draft beer or wine, dessert and coffee. Stay after dinner and watch the evening playoff game with us.

$50 if prepaid by January 4th - $60 after January 4th and at the door.

Make reservations today with GK Steve Gheduzzi or Anthony Falco , or buy tickets online by clicking here .

Also, please remember to bring your donations for the raffles to the general business meeting on Wednesday, January 8th. We're particularly looking for bottles of quality wines and spirits , but will gladly accept sporting event tickets, theater tickets, gift certificates to local restaurants and other businesses, and stays in vacation homes. We count on these donations to raise enough funds to meet our fundraising goal for St. James. Please contact GK Steve about any donations you may be interested in making or soliciting for us.
Holiday Blood Drive Another Success!

We raised 75 units of blood at the annual holiday Blood Drive on December 27th! That's an impressive tally, especially considering Christmas was two days earlier (and in the middle of the week), and there's lots of colds and flu going around.

The Greater New York Blood Bank always reports blood shortages around the Christmas and New Year's holiday period, and our members always come through in a pinch (so to speak).

Sincere thanks to all the donors, and also to all the volunteers who help make this happen, especially our own brother Knight Denis Hanrahan , for whom organizing our semi-annual blood drives is a labor of love.
"Pasta for a Purpose" Fundraiser

Our Ladies Auxiliary held an incredibly successful fundraiser for Danny Thut, a freshman at Carmel High School and son of member Dianne Thut, on Sunday, December 22nd. Well over 250 people from our community came out to enjoy a great pasta dinner and show their support for Danny, who was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma (cancer of the bone).

Ladies Auxiliary President Maria Barry extended her thanks to her members for organizing and executing another wonderful event that helps people right here in our community. She also extended special thanks to members of our Council who supported the event by donating food and raffle items, helped with setup and cleanup, and to our Kitchen Crew for helping out with the food preparation and service.
Sixteen New Brothers Join Our Council!

On Friday, January 3rd, we had an amazing night at our Council: 16 Catholic gentlemen received the honors of the Admissions (First) and Formation (Second) Degrees and joined our Council, along with two gentlemen from other councils, for a total of 18 new members of our honored Order!

This was a special night of degrees. As members were informed at our December business meeting, Supreme has decided to replace the current three degrees with one brief degree, which will be open to families and the public. Last Friday we held what may have been the last traditional First and Second Degree ceremonies in our Council. Our Conference officers have promised to hold a traditional Third Degree at our Council in the near future.

The newest members of our Council are: Joseph Bellucci, Joseph Burns, William DeBonis, Gino DeGiorgio, Matthew Dambra, Gerald Hamilton, John Hughes, Craig Kirk, Kevin McConville, Daniel McPartland, Nelson Santos, Matthew Simone, Terrence Smith, the Hon. Joseph Spofford, Dennis Vickery, and Christopher Vozzella.

Please congratulate these brothers when you see them, welcome them to our Council and our Order, and encourage them to become active in Columbian life.

Thanks to all of the members who turned out in support of the candidates. Special thanks to our Council's in-house Degree Team, which conducted the First and Second Degree ceremonials entirely with members of our Council. Well done, brothers!

Pictured below are members of our in-house Degree Team (left to right): GK Steve Gheduzzi, PGK Mike McDonald, Warden Mike O'Brien, Guard Peter Carey, Recorder Steven Smith, John Nuculovic, and PGK Rob Firriolo (Team Captain).
Fourth Degree News

MEETING NOTICE
The next meeting of the Fourth Degree Sir Knights of Mother Cabrini Assembly will be Thursday, January 16th, at 7:30 p.m. at our Council. All Sir Knights should attend!
Council Free Throw Contest - Monday, January 20th

Since 1972, KofC councils have sponsored the International Free Throw Championship, which is now open to boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 14. The basketball championship is set up to have the contestants compete within their own gender and age group.

All competition starts at the local level, and our Council's 2020 competition will be in the St. James School Gym on the afternoon of Monday, January 20th (MLK Day). We'll be serving free hot dogs and ice cream to all participants.

Winners move on to the district, regional, and state levels. From there, some make it to to the international level for championship competition in their group.

Speak to the Grand Knight or Youth Activities Chairman Mike Rama to enter a boy or girl in the contest, or to sign-up to volunteer at the event from 3-7:30 p.m. We need help with score-keeping and food service.
Midnight Bowling - Saturday, Feb. 8th

RESERVATIONS ARE DUE!

The last two year's Midnight Bowling fundraiser were so successful and so much fun that we're doing it again!

Join us on Saturday, February 8th at Spins Bowl in Carmel. We'll have our own lanes for some friendly competition from 9 p.m. to 12 midnight. Bowlers should arrive at 8:45 p.m. for check-in. (Don't be late and miss out on a lane!)

Your $30 entry fee gets you the use of a pair of fabulous bowling shoes, three hours of bowling, pizza, and soda. There's also a cash bar with a great selection of craft beers, prizes for the best bowlers, and of course, the potential for bragging rights.

This is a fundraiser for our scholarship fund, and win or lose, it promises to be another absolute blast!

You must make reservations! We are trying to get as many lanes as possible but we do not expect to be able to accommodate walk-ins . Reserve your spot with Ralph Fleischman , our Worthy DGK and Scholarship Fund Chairman.







  • Bartenders (Still) Needed! Our Home Corporation is putting out the call to members who may be interested in tending bar in our lounge. Please speak with Anthony Falco for more information.

  • Crèche Take-Down - Thanks to all of the brothers who turned out to take down the St. James Nativity Scene on Monday, January 6th. We got the stable disassembled, the figures and stable sections put into storage, and the site in front of the rectory cleaned up -- all in one hour. As we always say, "Many hands make light work."

  • Super Bowl Party - Sunday, Feb. 2: Members and our friends and families are welcome to join us on Sunday, February 2nd, for our annual Super Bowl party. What better way to watch the Big Game than on our big screens, surrounded by good company, while enjoying a beverage and some tasty food at our cozy-warm Council? We'll be open at 3 p.m. for the pre-game shows. Our lounge will be providing some party wedges, but we're continuing what's become a great tradition of doing a pot-luck dinner. So everybody is encouraged to bring a hot or cold dish (appetizer, main, or side), or a dessert, for the community buffet table. Super Bowl Sunday has become a fun, family-friendly tradition at our Council, and this year will prove to be another event you won't want to miss. [NEW-AND-IMRPOVED FOR 2020: NO TOM BRADY!]

  • West/Put St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal Installation Dinner - Friday, Feb. 7: Save the date for what's always a fun evening to support the parade's new Grand Marshal. Details are to be announced, but we expect it will again be at Centennial Golf Club in Carmel, from 6-9 p.m. and the cost will be $40 per person. We always suggest you get there early to guarantee a seat, as there are no advance reservations.

  • Brendan Toohey Breakfast honoring PGK Anthony Pelliccio - Sunday, Feb. 23: The KofC Westchester-Putnam Conference is honoring our Past Grand Knight, Anthony Pelliccio, at this year's Brendan Toohey Breakfast, which will be held at our Council. Details will be announced later, but typically we attend Mass and then come back to the Council for breakfast, which our kitchen crew will prepare. Please save the date and speak with GK Steve for reservations or to sign-up to volunteer.
Remember, a full calendar of events can always be found on our website: carmelknights.org under the Upcoming Events tab. And don't forget to "like" our Facebook page for up-to-the minute announcements, photos, event listings, and items of interest.