September 4, 2024

***GRAND KNIGHTS. PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS***

Worthy Grand Knight,

THANK YOU for all you have done in the past two months. Our numbers are good and you have strived during hard times of vacation, children going back to school, and of course school supply bills. I hope you can continue the pace you are at now and we can make our goal for the end of September. That number means we need at least 120 for the month of September. We have at least 175 councils that have not brought in a member.  If every council would bring in 1 member that has 0 we would have our number with ease.  Go out and cast your nets and bring in that 1 person and those of you who are bring new men in Keep up the Good work.  All of the events except for Labor Day are over and you should have time to recruit and or hold a membership drive. Remember use your QR Code and yard signs to help you in this cause. Also if you need help the State Deputy and I are here to help you get this done with supplies or just man power.  Let’s make this first quarter the fast Start we talked about at the beginning of this fraternal Year.

VIVAT JESUS

Forms Due

If you have not done so, please send in your Report of Officers (Form 185) and Service Program Personnel Report (Form 365). Below are Forms 185 & 365 NOT received by Supreme as of 8/29. To receive credit for the State Deputy Award, these forms must be submitted to Supreme by September 1. Since September 1 falls on a weekend and includes Labor Day, I will run the Supreme Report on Wednesday, September 4. This will determine the Councils eligibility for the State Deputy Award.

Form 185 not received (list of Councils).

Form 365 not received (list of Councils).

Star Tracker Report...click here

Diocesan Meetings...Sept – Oct -2024

All meetings will start at 6:30 PM with a meal followed by a Fraternal Benefit Night and Diocesan Meetings at 7:00. FBN and meeting should last approximately a 1 ½ hour. Requested attendance is Grand Knights, Membership Director and Financial Secretary and all Brother Knights who wish to attend and get FBN credits.

September 23, 2024      New Orleans NE Diocesan Meeting

                                        Council 3061 - 75050 Hwy 25, Covington

September 24, 2024      New Orleans SW Diocesan Meeting

                                        Fr. Francis X. Seelos Council #2878

4021 Trenton St., Metairie

September 30, 2024      Lafayette Diocesan meeting

St Leo the Great Council 5345

610 Rain Tree Trail, Lafayette (in the Family Center)

October 1, 2024              Alexandria Diocesan meeting

                                         Pope John Paul II Council 14657

600 Lakeview Dr. Pineville

(in cafeteria of the old Sacred Heart School)

October 3, 2024              Lake Charles Diocesan meeting

St. Theresa Council 8058

645 Lori Lane, Sulphur, LA

October 7, 2024              Baton Rouge Diocesan meeting

                                         St Thomas More 5530

11441 Goodwood Blvd, Baton Rouge,

(in the Family Center)

October 8, 2024             Houma/Thibodaux Diocesan meeting

                                        St Bridget Council 12285

2076 West Main St. Schriever

October 10, 2024           Monroe District meeting

           West Monroe Council 3642

206 Woodrow St, West Monroe

October 11, 2024           Shreveport Diocesan meeting

            Council 3779 - 5853 Buncombe Rd. S

77th Annual KC State Golf Tournamnent

The Annual KC State Golf Tournament will be played the weekend of October 4-5-6, at the beautiful Island Golf Club, Plaquemine.

Download your entry form here.

Enter on line here.

State Deputy Award Criteria for 2024-2025

Since July 1 starts the new Columbian Year, the scoring for the State Deputy Award starts over. All councils must meet both the Mandatory Requirements and 6 of 11 Electives. The new criteria are listed here.

Safe Environment Compliance

The first step in being Safe Environment Compliant is to make sure that your Council has filled out the Service Program Personnel Report (Form 365). This begins the process of letting Supreme know who to contact for training. So far, over 130 Councils have not submitted Form 365.

Is your Council Safe Environment Compliant? The Grand Knight, Program Director, Family Director, and Community Director are required to take Safe Environment training. To check if your Council is compliant, the Grand Knight or Financial Secretary should log in to Officers Online on the Supreme Website. Scroll down to the bottom third of the page and click on Reports. Run the Safe Environment Member Status report. Open the report and check to see if all required members are compliant. If the report does not show the four required roles, you need to re-appoint the missing positions.



To re-appoint any open position, go to Officers Online and update Form 365. Click here to go to the Fraternal Video Library. Scroll down to Forms, then click on Forms 185, 186, & 365 Online Submission Training.

Fraternal Benefits Night

There will be a Fraternal Benefit Event scheduled for Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 6:30pm, CDT.

PROTECT THOSE YOU LOVE THE MOST

Join Knights of Columbus, your premier Catholic partner for financial services, for a free financial webinar to learn more about how extended care planning can help you protect your family’s future.

This is a perfect opportunity to get started toward your FBN goal. Councils are required to host/attend at least two Fraternal Benefit Events and have at least 10 or 14 members or member eligible men in attendance. Consider hosting a Council/District watch party and invite parishioners as well as existing members.

Register Here: Protect Those You Love The Most

Council Evaluations - Form 944

District Deputies – Have you completed your Form 944 on each Council within your jurisdiction? The deadline for submission is September 15. Don’t wait until the last minute. Fill them out now and send them in. Don’t forget to share with the Grand Knights.

Pilgrim Icon Program

There will be a new Pilgrim Icon coming next year. Supreme has advised that a new Pilgrim Icon - The Sacred Heart of Jesus Icon - will be coming in January. The Icons will be blessed at the State Deputy meeting in November and will be shipped to the states in January. A schedule will be provided once the Icons are received. If you wish to use the St. Joseph Icon that has been in use for the last couple of years, please contact me and let me know the dates.

Family of the Month

44 Councils sent in a Family of the Month report (10784) for July. Congratulations to John Giambrone from Council 1099 for being selected by Supreme to receive a memento for being Family of the Month for July. Do you honor your Family of the Month? Fill out Form 10784 and your honoree 

COR

Cor exists to form and strengthen Catholic men in faith and virtue as missionary disciples by drawing them into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, formation, and fraternity.

Click here to go to Supreme’s COR page.

If your Council is already participating in COR, please fill out the

Council EFF Director Submission Form.

Upcoming Training

Online training sessions are conducted by experienced Fraternal Trainers and are available to watch on demand after the live viewing. Encourage members in your Councils to register for upcoming online sessions or on demand training by visiting kofc.org/training, or by clicking on the links below.

Upcoming Online Training Sessions (Note: All Times are Central)

To view and/or register for upcoming training sessions, click here.

September Training Opportunities:

September 4, 2024 9:00 PM | Enhancing Member Experience

This session will look at how to ensure that all council members have a positive and fulfilling membership experience that leads to a greater involvement in your council, parish, and community. During this training presentation, we will: highlight the important relationship between member experience and member engagement; introduce the Council Engagement Assessment; and discuss specific tools to improve your council engagement skills. Register

September 9, 2024 7:00 PM | Introducing Families to the Knights

Your council’s latest recruitment efforts are complete, and you have some men interested in learning more, especially about how their families can be involved. What’s your next step? Invite them to an Open Social or Open House style event. We will share how to get men AND their families interested in joining your council, including best practices to highlight how you can offer something for every member of the family. We’ll show you some proven processes and successful strategies to help grow your council. Register

September 17, 2024 7:00 PM | Council Membership Growth

Our communities need active Councils. What is your Council doing to support the parish and community? Are you supporting your priest’s vision for his parish? The programs we do are so needed. If not us, then who? “What you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me” (Matthew 25:40). Together we will discuss the value and share some ideas on how growth can help your Council follow the teachings of Jesus and follow the path of Blessed Michael McGivney. Register

September 18, 2024 7:00 PM | Conducting Church Drives

Join us as we discuss a new and streamlined way for councils to host a church drive, and an easier way for councils to host a Church Recruitment Drive. Membership Growth is a critical aspect of every council. What does successful recruitment look like? This session on Church Drives will guide your council down the path to creating a culture of sustainable growth and development. Register

Essay Contest Information

Upcoming Deadlines

September 1 – Deadline to Order Essay Contest Kit – Form EA-KIT

September 15 – Deadline for August Family of the Month Submission

September 15 – Deadline for DD’s to submit Council Evaluations – Form 944

October 1 – Deadline – Payment of State Per Capita

October 1 – Deadline to order Keep Christ in Christmas Kit – Form CPC-KIT

October 4-5-6 – State Golf Tournament – Plaquemine

October 10 – Deadline – Payment Supreme Per Capita

October 15 – Deadline for September Family of the Month Submission

October 19 – State Horseshoe Tournament - Gonzales

Worthy Clergy Members, State Officers, Sir Knights, 3^rd Degree Knights,

We want to take this time to thank Former District Master Kell Luke for his Outstanding Service as District Master for the last 4 years-2020-2024. His appointment and Staff lead us through Covid, 2 hurricanes, and the early stages of the new 4^th Degree Uniform with great success. He and his team have promoted the purchasing of the new uniform with positive gains every year. The district was recognized by the Bienville Province as the “District of the Year” and “District Master of the Year”. He is the first District Master in many years to serve in the limited 4-year capacity through his appointment consecutively back-to-back 2-year appointments.

He served PSD’s Vernon Ducote and George Martin and State Deputy Vince Whittington with mutual respect and leadership while traveling the state to promote the 4^th Degree everywhere he had a chance while building opportunities to grow the 4^th Degree to be the “Visible arm of the Order”. He himself was displaced temporarily and out of power like most when Hurricane Ida hit the Houma Diocese, St. Charles Parish, and Livingston Parish. He and Donna and other Staff members helped cook and serve 1,000 meals the Saturday after Ida hit land. They gave of their time to ensure others were able to get a hot meal, water, ice, and gas on a regular basis.



Please help us to congratulate Former Master Kell Luke for his service before, during, and after his term for his leadership and service that he continues to offer everyone in the State and District!