Meeting Minutes for October 19, 2022

• Faithful Navigator Caleb Strittmatter opened the meeting at 1900 hours.

Before the official start of the meeting, guest speakers Jim Semple - veteran and Jason Clamme - volunteers coordinator for Honor Flight of the Cape Fear spoke on their Honor Flight experiences out of Wilmington. As a recipient traveler, Jim shared photos from his time on the ground in DC and how moving the airport reception was upon returning home. The speakers were invited to our Meeting by SK Tim Ludgate Veterans Support Committee Chairman.

A synopsis of the presentation is that the local chapter of the Honor Flights take 75 Veterans (with accompanying guardians) to Washington, DC to visit the various memorials. The flights depart early morning and return the same evening approximately 9PM. The veterans are from WW II, Korean and Vietnam wars. Total cost of a flight is $125,000.
The next honor flight is scheduled for 29 April 2023.

Requirement: The Honor Flight representative asked for various levels of help to include but not limited as follows, in addition to greeters:

• financial donations
• writing cards for vets
• serve as crowd control for outgoing and incoming Honor Flights
• prior to the flight (on 28 April 2023) assist in the loading, and on the flight's return (29 April) assist in unloading of equipment such as flags for vets, wheelchairs, mail, and other items needed for the safe execution of the flight.

For detailed information please email info@honorflightcfa.org. For other assembly Veteran assistance questions, please contact Veterans Support Committee Chairman SK Ludgate (email (tjludgate@aol.com) who will be coordinating KofC local Honor Flight support April 28^th and 29^th 2023.

Opening Ceremony

• There were 20 Sir Knights with ID cards and rosaries in attendance.

Roll Call of Officers

Opening Prayer

• Meeting’s opening prayer was led by SK Weisgerber.

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

Opening Ode

• The opening Ode, America the Beautiful, was not sung in the interest of time.

Call for approval of the last month's minutes

• A call for corrections or edits to last month’s minutes, available only on our Assembly website, was made by Scribe Krawczyk. Given there were no changes, a motion was made to accept the minutes as contained on the assembly website; the motion was seconded and passed by unanimous vote. Note that minutes are no longer being read aloud to allocate time for other discussions; but will normally be posted on our website within 5 days after business meetings.

Report of the Faithful Friar (Fr. Spencer)

• No report.

Report of Faithful Comptroller (SK Decker)

• A report of income and expense items of the past month was provided.

Report of the Faithful Purser (SK Philips)

• The financials reported are not posted on website minutes but can be requested by emailing our Faithful Purser(mailto:purser@kofc2017.org).

  Report of Committees

Membership Report / Reading of Applications / Balloting (SK Decker)

• There was one 4th Degree transfer request submitted by SK Cappello (Council 12281) - Robert Stupica.
  A motion to accept was made, second and motion passed by unanimous vote.

Color Guard Report / RSVP (SK Hargett)

• A discussion was held regarding needs to support the upcoming Veterans Day parade on 12 November. Six SKs volunteered at our meeting to serve as flag bearers, honor guard and banner bearers in regalia with two additional in tux. Those with regalia carrying our banner will lead followed by SKs in Tux / dark suits and then members in logo KofC shirts. FN to send invite to associated Council GKs to encourage their members, independent of degree held, to march with the assembly. Once precise location details are fixed to meet on parade day, Tim Ludgate will ensure a broadcast email is sent out to all.
• SK Hargett advised he wished to step down as RSVP Chair.

Patriotic Reports

Veterans Support - (SK Ludgate)

• Receipt of our application for Assembly participation in the Veterans Parade has been confirmed.
• In addition to the Color Guard support in the Veterans Parade, volunteers are sought to place 4,500 flags on the graves of Veterans at Greenlawn Memorial Park located at 1311 Shipyard Blvd. If you wish to volunteer for this effort, the placements will begin at 1100 hours on Saturday 05 November. SK Ludgate will coordinate on site Knight’s group gathering and requests wearing some logo attire for a participation photo to be posted on website. On Sunday 13 November at 1400 hours, additional volunteers will be needed to remove the flags from the veterans' graves.
  For additional information on the organization hosting this event you are asked to visit americanhonorguardsnc.org.
• SK Bolger presented the Assembly the opportunity to support the veterans at Ashley house as follows: He asked SKs to support Ashley House veterans with Christmas boxes containing items easily purchased at a drugstore or dollar store. The goal is to deliver 15 boxes to needy veterans. Items might include:
  • 2 razors and razor blades
  • A pair of glove (jersey gloves would suffice)
  • Tooth paste / toothbrushes
  • Power stick for skin/hair and/or talc
  • Waterless shampoo
  • Shaving cream
  • Mouthwash
  • 2/3 pair of socks (white/black/brown) Items procured could be dropped off at the next assembly meeting in a bag to be boxed up later by our Veterans Support committee team.
• Honor Flight: Details provided above.

In God We Trust - Deanery support - (SK Strittmatter)

• FN Stittmatter provided an update on the Deanery Support for our assembly's scholarship program. FN Strittmatter read a letter from Gina Drost of Deanery Chair Father John McGee’s staff, outlining his steps needed to broaden support for the Scholarship for Future Saints initiative. Based on parish budgets being fixed end of June, we missed our window for broader financial support and will not reach the goal of $10,000 this cycle. However, Fr. John did commit to supporting our marketing approach for parish Pastor emails announcing the scholarship opportunity versus being limited to bulletin ads which historically have limited reach. As such, the current level of funding will remain at $6,000 but to be revisited next year.

Assembly Veterans & Charity Fundraisers (SK Decker for SK Macaluso)

• Tickets sales are in the hands of the Councils and there was no update on how the sales were progressing. The tickets are due back by 04 November.

Fraternal Social Report (SK Weisgerber)

• SK Weisberger obtained commitment for 26 tickets to the Annie show at the Wilson Center on 28 January at 7PM. If you are interested in attending please contact SK Weisgerber as soon as possible (no later than 15 November).
  In addition, any SK who has not paid please do so by no later than 15 November.
• The Assembly Christmas Party at the South Beach Grill on Wrightsville Beach on Monday 19 December. The capacity for the Christmas party is 50. There will be a cash bar preceding dinner at 6:00pm. In addition, a motion to invite Faithful Frair as our guest was made.
  A formal invitation will be made by FN Strittmatter.

Trustees Report (SKs Backes, Macaluso, Plarre)

• No report.

Unfinished Business

• No report.

New Business

• SK Decker announced the assembly’s website is operational. The website address is kofc2017.org.
• Regalia 50% reimbursement lottery was held and overseen by SK Horvat. There were six SKs who submitted their names - recipients of the motivational subsidy are:
  • SK Michael Alexander
  • SK George Shadt
  • SK Bobby Philips
  • SK Reynaldo Benzor
• As 12017 has three swords to be deployed, two can be assigned to SKs Schadt and Alexander via their GK.
• There was no update regarding the Wreaths Across America campaign.
• A special thanks was given to SK Backes for his efforts over the years maintaining the Beacon which has been replaced with the creation of the Assembly website's news tab. All members are encouraged to send photos with descriptions of 4th Degree Knights in service to any charitable, patriotic, community or evangelization events to our Assembly 2017 webmaster. No effort is too small for inclusion. Councils are invited to submit their efforts as it pertains to assembly goals/initiatives.

Report of Third Degree Councils

1074 Wilmington

• No report.

11817 St. Stanislaus

• Polish festival will be held on weekend of 05 November from 11am-5pm.

12017 St. Mark

• The Council conducted a membership drive which resulted in 7 new candidates for the council as well as potential 3 transfers into the assembly.
• SK Greg Peters described a program to provide warm blankets and mylar protective sheets for the homeless. Blankets were distributed to Good Shepherd and Salvation Army. SK Peters left a box of 24 blankets and mylar protectors for assembly distribution via our Veterans Support Committee.
• On 15 October, there was a pasta dinner with dine-in or take-out service. It was a successful evening as 100 dishes were served.

12281 All Saints

• The Council thanked Council 12017 for the pasta dinner. Nice job Council 12017.
• Yard sale - If you have any items you wish to discard you will have to hold onto them for another year as the yard sale is this weekend. We wish to thank you for your contribution to the sale.
• On 05 November between 9AM and 2PM there will be a gift card drive-by. This initiative is for folks to drop off gifts cards which will be used to purchase Thanksgiving meals from Harris-Teeter for the less fortunate.

12885 St. Therese

• No report.

12921 Transfiguration

• No report.

Brothers in Need

• PGK SK Kenny Merck is ill and needs our prayers.

Good of the Order

• SK Bio read a passage.

Closing Prayer

• Led by FN Strittmatter.

Adjourn

• Meeting adjourned at 2036 hours.