* * * HAPPY NEW YEAR! * * *
The Lake Current - Council News & Info

We pray that 2017 holds great things in store for you and your family. Here at the council, we've already hit the ground running to make this year an even better one for our members, our parish, and the people served by the worthy causes we support.

A few items of note deserve immediate attention.

  1. We will be taking down the nativity scene at St. James church this Wednesday (1/11). Please meet outside the rectory at 9:30 a.m., and bring the usual equipment (ladders, screw guns, etc.).

  2. Our monthly general business meeting will also be this Wednesday, with dinner served at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m. All members are welcome (and encouraged!) to attend. We've got lots to do, so we need you!

  3.  There will be a meeting of volunteers for the Men's Beefsteak Fundraiser dinner on Thursday (1/12) at 7:30 p.m. This event is already sold out, and we need several more volunteers to help with set up, serving, and cleanup this Saturday. Even a half-hour of volunteer time could make a huge difference in lessening the burdens on other volunteers. Remember, this is a benefit for our parish, so let's all pitch in where we can!

  4. We will be hosting First and Second Degree Exemplifications on Thursday, January 19th. Candidates should arrive properly attired by 6:30 p.m., and the First Degree will begin at 7 p.m. All members should try to attend in support of our newest brother Knights, and sponsors of candidates are asked to make a special effort to attend.

Read on for information on a few more upcoming events and news of recent events. As you can see, big things are happening at our council, and we simply cannot do them without your support and volunteer help!
The "J.O." Men's Beefsteak Parish Fundraiser - Sat. 1/14

We are thrilled at the response to our James "J.O." O'Neill Memorial Men's Beefsteak Fundraiser Dinner for St. James parish and have to report that it is SOLD OUT!

We're also very grateful to have received several fantastic donations for our raffles, including tickets to the NY Rangers, NJ Devils, the Broadway musical Wicked, and a mountain getaway weekend! We will gladly accept additional donations, including sporting event tickets, theater tickets, gift certificates to local restaurants and other businesses, and items for gift baskets. Please contact GK Rob about any donations you may be interested in making.

A reminder that our d oors open at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Stop in to our lounge for a cash bar and catch the start of the first NFL playoff game (Seattle at Atlanta) at 4:35. Dinner begins at about 5 p.m. Stay after dinner and watch the rest of the game and the evening game (Houston at New England).
Holiday Blood Drive A Success!

Thanks to everybody who made the annual Holiday Blood Drive on December 30th another great success! We collected 82 units of blood, which is pretty impressive given the busy holiday season.

Thanks go out to all of the donors, volunteers, and our partners in this effort: the Stephen P. Driscoll Lodge FOP, Putnam County Emergency Service, and local FDNY members. Special thanks to our own Denis Hanrahan for his leadership and devotion to organizing successful summer and winter blood drives in our community every year.
St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal Installation Dinner - Fri. 1/27

Our council is once again a proud sponsor of the Northern Westchester-Putnam St. Patrick's Day Parade, now in its 41st consecutive year. This year's Grand Marshal is Fr. Joseph P. Tierney (pictured), President of Cardinal Hayes High School since June 2005. He was previously assigned to St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac for six years, following his ordination in November 1986.

The Grand Marshal Installation Dinner will be on Friday, January 27th, at Centennial Golf Club, from 6-9 p.m. The cost is $40 per person. Our council already has one full table of guests that will be attending in support of Father Tierney. If you wish to attend, you must let PGK Mike McDonald know by Wednesday, 1/11.

Please note that this year's parade will be on Sunday, March 12th, stepping off at 2 p.m. We will provide more information on the parade and the post-parade reception at our council as we get closer to that date. More information may be found on the parade committee's website.
Enjoy Super Bowl Sunday With Us -  Feb. 5th

What better way to watch the Super Bowl than on our big screens, surrounded by friends and family, while enjoying a beverage and some good food at our council?

We'll be open at 3 p.m. for the pre-game shows. Our lounge will be providing a selection of tasty snacks, and everybody is welcome to bring a hot or cold dish, or a dessert, for the community buffet table.

Super Bowl Sunday has become a great family-friendly tradition at our council, and this year will prove to be another event you won't want to miss. So save the date and plan to watch the game with us!
Brendan Toohey Award Breakfast - Sun. 2/26

We are honored to once again host the Westchester-Putnam Conference's Brendan Toohey Award Breakfast on Sunday, February 26th. This award is  presented annually to a Knight who exemplifies Knighthood in our Order. This year's worthy winner is our friend and former District Deputy, Ken Chambers (pictured).

Festivities begin with the 9:00 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of the Lake/Mt. Carmel Church, followed by a hot breakfast buffet at our council. The Award will be presented by Westchester-Putnam Conference Chairman Mike Griffin.

We will also have a guest speaker from a local charitable organization, CAREERS for People with Disabilities, which will be the recipient of a donation from the Conference as well as the proceeds from the breakfast.

RSVP by February 20th to GK Rob Firriolo.  The cost is $15 per person and may be paid at the door. We will need volunteers to assist with preparing, serving, and cleaning up after the breakfast.
No Fourth Degree Meeting in January; Year of Dinners Raffle Tickets Available

Faithful Navigator Steve Gheduzzi advises us that there will not be a January meeting of Mother Cabrini Assembly due to a scheduling conflict with the exemplifications on January 19th.

Fourth Degree dues notices and newsletters went out to all members in December. Please return your dues payment with your fraternal survey report by January 31st, if you have not already done so.

Tickets are now available for the 2017 "A Night Out On The Sir Knights Year of Dinners" raffles. Last year's raffle was so popular that the Sir Knights are doing it again. Each $20 ticket offers twelve chances to win a fantastic prize, with sales limited to only 250 tickets . Each month for 11 months (January through November 2017), the lucky winner will receive a $250 gift certificate for a great restaurant in our area. The Grand Prize (December 2017) is worth $400 at Mohonk Mountain House. Winners will have their tickets returned to the drawing, so one ticket can win multiple times! Contact FN Steve for tickets or more information.
Remember, a full calendar of events can always be found on our website: carmelknights.org under the Upcoming Events tab, and check out our Breaking News page. And don't forget to "like" our Facebook page for up-to-the minute announcements, photos, event listings, and items of interest.