Statesville Knights help PRC
STATESVILLE — The Knights of Columbus Council 7152 recently held its first collection of baby products for the Pregnancy Resource Center located on Davie Avenue in Statesville.
Some of the supplies that were collected included diapers, baby wipes, shampoo and Clorox wipes – all generously donated by members of St. Philip the Apostle Church.
With the COVID-19 pandemic hampering the Knights’ ability to hold fundraising events and donate money to various organizations, the Knights looked for other ways to continue to help the community.
The council would like to thank parishioners for their generosity. Pictured are (from left): Randy Frantz (Grand Knight), Chuck Greco (Chancellor), Victoria Miglin (PRC Director), Carrie Jenkins (PRC Assistant Director), and Ralph AltaVilla (Deputy Grand Knight).
— Connie Ries
Knights Council 7184 in Hendersonville helps neighbors
HENDERSONVILLE — In order to help their neighbors in need, the Immaculate Conception 
Knights of Columbus Council 7184 held a coat, blanket and towel drive before Masses Oct. 3-4 and Oct. 10-11.
The collected articles went to the Interfaith Assistance Ministry.
The council also helped Interfaith Assistance Ministries unload and store a large donation of fresh produce, dairy and meat on Mondays for five weeks. A portion of this food was distributed to other food centers in Henderson County.
— Jim Gedwellas
Greensboro Knights provide rosaries to students
GREENSBORO — Following the Knights’ commitment to patriotism, officers of St. Pius X Knights of Columbus Council 11101 recently asked St. Pius X School’s Principal Chris Kloesz if he needed American flags for his classrooms.
Kloesz said he had plenty of flags but he was in need of something else: rosaries. The school provides rosaries for any students without them and especially rosaries for all students participating in the school’s monthly “Living Rosary.”
Led by Grand Knight Brian Harvey, the council promptly set out to purchase the 188 rosaries needed at the school.
Special thanks to Father Louis Canino, director of the Franciscan Center in Greensboro, for his help selecting and ordering just the right rosaries for the children.
Harvey and Kloesz are pictured with four St. Pius X students displaying some of the new rosaries.
— John Russell
St. Pius X Knights continue support for ‘Coats for Kids’
GREENSBORO — “Coats for Kids” is a Knights of Columbus “Faith in Action” project of the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council. It devotes the activities and resources of Knights of Columbus councils nationally to purchase and provide warm winter clothing to deserving children in the United States and Canada and has brought comfort to over half a million children to date. Each year since its inception, St. Pius X Knights of Columbus Council 11101 has participated in this project, guided by program chairman Dan Allen and Grand Knight Brian Harvey.
This year the fundraising drive collected enough funds to buy 220 coats in a variety of sizes and colors and distributed them to “Backpack Beginnings,” a local charity devoted to assisting children in need with both food and clothing in the Greensboro area.
The council shares its sincere thanks to them and especially to the Knights and parishioners of St. Pius X for their generous gifts to this worthy cause.
Pictured are (from left): Sean Duffy; Dan Allen, program chairman; Jim Duffy; Parker White, “Backpack Beginnings” executive director; Grand Knight Brian Harvey; and Leigh Jones, clothing pantry chair.
— John Russell
‘Chalk in the Park’ event held in St. Therese Church’s parking lot
MOORESVILLE — Despite the COVID-19 pandemic affecting so much of our lives, members of St. Therese Knights of Columbus Council 7406 have not been deterred from their mission of helping others. “The rules have just forced us to be more creative in carrying out our activities,” said Grand Knight Paul Shessler.
One example is the council’s initial “Chalk in the Park” contest. Looking for a way to promote some fun and parish community, the council sponsored a family chalk art contest that was held in the church parking lot Oct. 24. All of the various social distancing safety requirements were followed. The council provided the chalk, and families were encouraged to come out and create chalk art in their own 4-foot-by-4-foot space on the blacktop. Gift card prizes were awarded to the top three art creations, with a first prize of a $100 gift certificate, donated by local Knights’ field agent, Bob Gordon.
All other participants received Chick-fil-A gift cards, courtesy of a generous parishioner on the parish’s stewardship committee. Another parishioner donated soft drinks and food to the families, adding to the day’s enjoyment. The event brought out a small but enthusiastic group of families who enjoyed fellowship on a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning. “It was all we had hoped for. Our council is already talking about ways to make our second chalk art event better, hopefully in the spring,” Shessler said.
During the “Chalk in the Park” festivities, Council 7406 also hosted its regular quarterly blood drive in the Parish Life Center. COVID-19 has presented its own challenges for these drives, yet the council has managed to continue its regular quarterly collections, which have proven to be important to the local health community.
— Lisa Cash, Frank Sturm and Carol Massey