The Lake Current - May 2019

Welcome to the May 2019 edition of our monthly newsletter! H ere's a couple of quick notices before we get into the news: Our regular monthly business meeting is this Wednesday, May 8th, starting at 7:30 p.m. As you will see below, we have lots of great events coming up in the near future to plan for. We'll also be discussing the upcoming elections for Council officers and the Corporation Board of Directors. (Get involved!) As usual, dinner starts 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! We will be holding brief but important volunteers' meetings this Monday evening, May 6th. At 6:30 p.m., we'll be discussing plans for the Founders Day BBQ and also the Ladies Auxiliary Appreciation Dinner. At 7 p.m. we'll discuss plans for our annual Golf Outing. All of these events are discussed in the newsletter below, but they don't happen without help and support from our members. So show up at these planning meetings and get involved!

Summer Kickoff BBQ & Founders' Award - Friday, May 24th Join us as we kick-off summer with our Fifth Annual Founders' Day BBQ & Trongone Award Ceremony on Friday, May 24th!

We are proud to announce that we will be honoring founding member George Dunkel this year with our Trongone Award. This award is named in honor of founding Grand Knight Angelo R. Trongone and presented annually to a member who has provided our Council with many years of dedicated service. George Dunkel is in his 60th continuous year of service to our Order, having become a brother Knight on July 1, 1959, in Hugh A. Doyle Council #339 in New Rochelle. After moving to our area, he helped found our Council in November of 1971. George served our Council in many ways over the years, but perhaps no role proved to be more important than his service as the first President of our Home Corporation, 6318 Associates. Through its formation in 1973, we were able to purchase the building that we call home to this day, and maintain it for the use of the Council. Among his other notable contributions, George later served as Corporation Treasurer, and he was also the original Chairman of our Scholarship Committee. At our Founders Day BBQ we will also be making some presentations of special awards, and recognizing members celebrating important membership anniversaries. On the menu will be burgers, hot dogs, grilled Cornell chicken, sausage and peppers, sliced steak, corn on the cob, baked beans, salads, desserts, and more! We're also bringing back our fantastic PIG ROAST , which was such a hit last year! All that for only $20 for adults, $10 for kids, and kids 6 and under eat free. Nobody has ever left hungry! Bring the whole family!   We do need a headcount for food purchase and planning, so please let GK Steve know if you're coming NO LATER THAN May 17th! We will have sign-up sheets for volunteers and for guests at our monthly business meeting on Wednesday, May 8th.

Golf With Us on Friday, June 7th! You know it will be another great day of golfing at our annual George Dean Memorial Golf Outing on Friday, June 7th! In addition to an outstanding round of golf at Putnam County Golf Course, you'll get a delicious lunch, beverage cart, golfer SWAG, prizes, and our own fantastic filet mignon dinner, all for only $150. Sponsorships are available: Hole Sponsor ($150, or $100 with a foursome), Lunch Sponsor ($500); Dinner Sponsor ($750) and Platinum Sponsor ($1000). Registration 8 a.m.; shotgun start 9 a.m. Cocktails and dinner for golfers at our council immediately following the outing. Prizes will be awarded for best foursome, longest drive, and closest to the pin. This is our annual major fundraiser that enables our council to do the many charitable, community, and parish activities that we do on a regular basis. Please support this event by golfing, taking a sponsorship, donating prizes, or helping us get others to do the same. For reservations, sponsorships, or more information, please contact event chairman Anthony Falco .

Attention Veterans: Putnam County Wants YOU! When World War I ended in 1918, Putnam County issued a medal to all returning Veterans in the summer of 1919 thanking them for their service. Our County is celebrating the 100th anniversary of this event by honoring all of our living Putnam County military service veterans by awarding them a new medal (pictured top), with a design inspired by that of the original (pictured bottom). There are many veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, Bosnia, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror who are residents of Putnam. All honorably discharged veterans who are county residents for more than one year are eligible, and there is no cost! Just fill out this application and take it to the Putnam County Clerk's Office (40 Gleneida Ave., Room 100) with a copy of your DD 214 (if you are not already on file for a " Return the F.A.V.O.R. " card). If you know a veteran who is shy, a family member can fill it out as well. Presentations of these medals will be made at several events during 2019. The first will be for WWII & Korean War vets this June 6th ("D-Day") at Putnam's Historic Courthouse. Presentations to other Putnam veterans will follow at events to be announced.

Please encourage all Putnam County veterans to apply for this token of gratitude for his or her service, and take a rightful place in Putnam County history! To expedite processing of applications, you can also hand them to GK Steve Gheduzzi or PGK Rob Firriolo, and we will deliver them to the county personally.

We're Home of the "Ultimate Fish Fry"! Those aren't our words -- that's what Supreme Council called us after they paid a visit to our Lenten Fish Fry. Two reporters came up from New Haven just to spend an afternoon with us and see what we do, and how we do it. Then they wrote a great article about us for the KofC website, where we were dubbed the "The Ultimate Fish Fry " ! They also did this video , which was posted to Supreme's social media accounts. ( Click on the links earlier in this paragraph to read the article and watch the video. ) And now, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all of our supporters and volunteers!!! We thought last year was great (and it was!), but the response to this year's Lenten Fish Fry Friday dinners at our Council was simply AMAZING!!!

We once again broke all records from previous years, filling 500 orders and serving over 1,300 meals over six Friday nights -- in only three hours each night. At our peak, we were sending out meals from the kitchen considerably faster than one-per-minute. Yet each one was freshly prepared to order. You may have noticed how hard we worked to improve customer service and get you your order as quickly as possible. Not only did our electronic point-of-sale system work flawlessly, but we added a take-a-number system to speed up delivery of your orders even more, and make our customers more comfortable. No more lines out-the-door in the winter weather! Instead, you could take a number, review the menu, and relax with a beverage in our hall or lounge. Judging by your feedback, we think we outdid ourselves with our menu offerings. We brought back your favorite regular menu items and also expanded our specials offerings to feature Fish Tacos, Sole Piccata, New England Clam Chowder in bread bowls, Mussels Fra Diavolo, and -- our #1 crowd-pleaser -- Lobster Mac & Cheese, even more lobstery and more cheesy than before.

All of our meals were 100% made from scratch, from recipes developed and tested in our very own kitchen. And we're proud to note that we use wild-caught fish and shellfish from reputable sources, to ensure the highest quality. Our chefs say that if they wouldn't put it on their own tables at home, they're not going to serve it to you. Thanks to our success, we will be able to donate approximately $2,500 to charity from this year's sales! That's all the direct result of the generous support of our customers and the hard work of our volunteers. We'll announce our donations in a future newsletter. Keep in mind, though, that our main goal with Fish Fry is not to raise funds for charity. Instead, it is primarily a way to help us keep our Lenten obligation of abstinence from meat, while bringing in families and friends to enjoy a good meal together. Toward that end, we keep our prices low. Any profit we make is incidental, yet allows us to make some substantial charitable donations. Some profit also goes to improve our kitchen equipment, so that we can do an even better job for our Council, our parish, and our community in the future. Very special thanks to our members and their families who worked so hard to plan the menus, shop for the supplies, prepare the hall, prep, cook and serve the food, run the dining room, handle the sales, wash the pots and pans, and clean up each and every week. The outpouring of support from our return customers, as well as from our members and Ladies Auxiliary who devote so much hard work to make Fish Fry a success, is truly heartwarming! See you next year!!!

First & Second Degrees - Friday, May 17 We are hosting First and Second Degree Exemplifications on Friday, May 17th. Candidates should report by 6:30 p.m. properly attired . The First Degree will begin promptly at 7 p.m. followed immediately thereafter by the Second Degree. Members wishing to sponsor a candidate, or any Catholic gentlemen wishing to participate in any of these ceremonies, should contact Chancellor Mike Bock or GK Steve Gheduzzi for more information and to ensure a place in the degrees. It is very important that our current members attend these degrees in support of our newest members. All sponsors of the candidates should make a special effort to escort their candidate to the degrees and be on hand to support them throughout the ceremonials.

Fourth Degree News Congratulations to all of the brothers who received the honors of the Fourth Degree at the exemplification held on Saturday, April 27th, at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern. Mother Cabrini Assembly #1572 welcomes five new members. From our Council, please congratulate Sir Knight Frank Lombardi , our newest Fourth Degree member! MEETING NOTICE The next meeting of the Fourth Degree Sir Knights will be Thursday, May 30th at 7:30 p.m. at our Council. Note that this is later in the month than usual due to a scheduling conflict. All Sir Knights should attend!

Saddle-up for a "Night at the Races" on June 8th! Our Ladies Auxiliary is once again hosting a fun night of wagering on The Sport of Kings at their NIGHT AT THE RACES charity fundraiser on Saturday, June 8th. Our doors will open 6 p.m. -- plenty of time for you to get comfortable, enjoy a libation, and watch the Belmont Stakes live on our big screens! Then, we'll start the running of our own races at 7 p.m. Yes, you can win real money wagering on real horse races! ( And we can promise there will be no disqualifications!!! ) There will be a cash bar, hamburgers & hot dogs for purchase, 50/50 raffles, and a Derby Bonnet Contest (win a prize!) Admission is only $10. This is another of our Ladies' fun-and-fantastic charity fundraisers. Bring an item for the Putnam Humane Society and receive a free door prize ticket!

Annual Summer Blood Drive - June 28 Give the gift of life by donating blood! Join us, the Driscoll Lodge FOP, Putnam's Bureau of Emergency Services, and Putnam's FDNY members, on Friday, June 28th, from 2-8 p.m. , at the Carmel Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, located at 32 Gleneida Avenue (Route 52). Volunteers are needed for setup at noon and cleanup at 8 p.m., as well as throughout the drive. Donating blood is a safe, simple, and satisfying experience. Your donations help give life to the millions of Americans each year who require blood transfusions during surgery, after an accident, or because they have a disease that requires blood components. There are many different ways to donate lifesaving blood products, including whole blood, platelet, plasma, and automated red cell donation. The process usually takes about 45-60 minutes. You may donate if you are at least 17 years old (16 years old with written consent from parent or legal guardian), weigh at least 110 pounds, and are in good health. For your pint you'll receive good stuff including a coupon for appetizers at Applebee's restaurant in Southeast and the much cherished NYBC T-shirt. There will be food (hot and cold buffet) and refreshments on hand for your replenishment. Contact Denis Harahan at (845) 225-3048 or GK Steve for more info. Please consider helping us with set-up starting at noon, cleanup at 8 p.m., or any time throughout the drive.

Council Cleanup - Saturday, May 11: Time for much needed Spring cleaning! We have lots of events coming up, as well as rentals for First Holy Communions, Confirmations, and other member functions. We also need to do some detail cleaning of our kitchen now that Fish Fry is done. So, we'll meet at 8 a.m. to spruce up inside and outside our building. We're meeting early because we have a rental that afternoon. Bring the usual landscaping equipment. "Many hands make light work," so the more volunteers, the quicker we'll get done. Our Council's "Appreciation Dinner" for our Ladies Auxiliary is Thursday, May 17th. This is the opportunity for the men of our council to say thanks and show our appreciation for all that the Ladies do for our Council and our community, by preparing and serving them a special dinner after their monthly meeting. Volunteers are still needed to prepare and serve, so let GK Steve or PGK Rob know if you can help out. Speaking of our fantastic -- and very active -- Ladies Auxiliary, at their last Sunday Cash Bingo on April 28th, they raised $600 for Relay for Life, a community based fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. Well done, Ladies! Reminder: Mets Excursion - Saturday, June 29: If you're coming with us on Third-Annual Jimmy O’Neill Memorial NY Mets Baseball Trip, you must prepay by June 1st! Get your payment into Bobby Palazzo and for more info you can contact him at (845) 216-1997.

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.

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