By: Gary Merritt - Fri, May 1, 2020 7:30 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Thu, Apr 30, 2020 7:30 PM

Congratulations to the Michigan State Charities Raffle Winners!

To view the entire list of the winners click here.

By: Gary Merritt - Sat, Apr 25, 2020 7:30 PM

In the last few weeks we have been sent information on this “online form 100” and the "Candidate Tab".  So, what does this do? Does this tab help me do my job better? How does this change on how councils bring in members? 

	Our Supreme Regional Training Director Jon Olson is offering two sessions on this new way to send information to Supreme.    I am asking that Grand Knights, Financial Secretaries, District Deputies, DMD's and Regional Directors attend one of these two sessions.
	The session will be under an hour and have opportunities for questions. The two different opportunities to be part of the webinar will be: Wednesday, 4/29/2020 at 6 PM EDT and 8 PM.

  Please email the following information to: jon.olson@kofc.org 

1.    Choice on which session you wish to attend

2.    Your Full name

3.    State where your council is located

4.    Council #

5.    Position

You will receive the information on how to join the session director from SRTD Jon Olson and you should direct any questions to him.

Thanks, Jim Kraus State Membership Director Michigan State Council

By: Gary Merritt - Thu, Apr 23, 2020 7:30 PM

 Our Worthy State Training Director Jim Escott has created some new training videos.

These along with existing training materials have been reorganized in the Resources/Officers Training Materials section here on the website. Check them out by clicking on the pic to the left.

By: Gary Merritt - Mon, Apr 20, 2020 7:30 PM

Brother Knights: I pray this finds you well. Due to the Corona Virus this year's State Convnetion on Mackinac Island is CANCELLED!   All deposits will be refunded by the Grand Hotel.

 Many of us have been affected by the Corona virus in way or another. It seems we are over the worst and please remember to pray for those and their families that passed away or were infected with the corona virus. 

 We will be delivering the Convention by the way of a Virtual Convention. When all details and time of convention is solidified you will be informed.

 Our hopes are that all delegates will be able to attend the Virtual Convention. Please watch your email and this website for more information and pass this information to all of your delegates.

 I want to give you a current update on our virtual State convention.

 The process for delegates to be part of the Convention happens only when each council sends in their respective delegate’s council number, name and phone number they will use for the virtual convention to the state office by May 10th.

 The correct phone number is vital, this is the only number the delegates will be able to sign in with.

 Returning signed credentials to the state office is not going to be required to allow everyone to meet the May 10^th deadline.

 FLS Network is the firm hosting our convention, they will contact all delegates by phone with instructions on how to log-in and be part of the virtual convention on May 23^rd.

 Great News – The 50% discount for new e-members has been extended for Michigan until April 30.  Please continue to invite men to join using the discount code, neighbor 2020

 The Online Exemplification on Thursday night was a huge success with our state being in the top 5 of all states in total men participating.  My thanks go to all the councils who were part of this great event. 

 I would like to congratulate Very Reverend James Batcha at St Michael Byzantine for starting a new council.

 Through these tough times many men and their families have shown they want to join our Organization to help others. The more men that join the more we can help.

 Before the pandemic - Michigan was second in the United States and eleventh in the world in Membership intake. I believe we will stay there or even better our position.

 Our programs are second to none.

 With all these accomplishments everyone should be very proud. I know Fr Michael J. McGivney is smiling down on us.

 Keep up the good work and soon we will get back to normalcy.

 I’m looking forward to shaking you hand in congratulations for keeping our faith strong and staying positive during these tough times

 Bill Chasse Michigan State Deputy 

By: Gary Merritt - Sun, Apr 19, 2020 7:30 PM

To promote the activities of our local councils around the State, various council programs will be posted here.

Send your stories of worthy council programs along with pics to g.merritt@mikofc.org.

St Pius X Council 14598 Grandville

Members of the council worked as servers at a local restaurant for a fundraising event which raised more than $1500.00 for Building Bridges of Hope, a Catholic non-profit serving the Dominican Republic. The funds will help supplement the building of a medical clinic in a remote area of the country.

John E. Kennedy Council 5460 Clinton Twp.

Msgr. Russel E. Kohler Council 15204 Westland

St. Basil Council 2594 South Haven

St. Casimir Council 9711 Lansing

The council sponsored several lunches for medical professionals at the local hospital. You can see the health care professionals expressing her gratitude to the council.

  Dan Kennedy Council 706 Norton Shores

The council is continuing their fish fries after Easter to help their local priest raise money for a nearby baby pantry after the coronavirus forced him to cancel his annual fundraiser.

Each St. Patrick’s Day Father Matt Barnum, with St. Mary’s Catholic Church, bar-tends at a local bar and raises money to help keep the Muskegon Baby Pantry stocked.

However, COVID-19 forced organizers to cancel the celebration this year, so, the Muskegon Knights of Columbus offered to donate $1 from each meal it sold at its Friday Fish Fry and all donations from its customers to Father Barnum’s effort.

“We kind of feel like we’re a community establishment here and we want to give back to our community that is in need right now so it’s kind of why we focused on that,” said Matt Carlton, Grand Knight. Since the effort started two weeks ago, Carlton says they’ve nearly doubled their average number of customers to about 1,000. Friday, the organization helped Barnum meet his $25,000 goal.“They know it’s through the collective efforts of everybody here and Father Matt that you’re going to give $25,000 to [the] struggling baby food pantry,” said Carlton. “I think the cash, and them having that resource, will be a huge impact for them.”

Carlton adds even though they met their goal, the organization will keep donating because it provides mothers with the necessities they need and shows the community they can come together during the pandemic.

“I think it’s good to see, in a community, during these times that there are good things going on and people are continuing to do them during these hard times,” said Carlton.

The Muskegon Knights of Columbus say the fish fries will continue for the foreseeable future. Those interested can pick up a contact free dinner from 4-8 p.m. at 2915 Fairfield St. Norton Shores, MI 49441.

view the report on TV 17.

Father John M. Lynch Council 4188 Clawson

As a Pro-Life program the council sponsored a free screening of the film Unplanned, the story of Abby Johnson, an abortion facility worker who became a pro-life advocate. Before and after the film, the council circulated a petition to ban dismemberment abortion and collected approximately $200 for Mother and Unborn Baby Care, a pregnancy resource center in Southfield.

 St. Nicholas Council 7011 Sterling Heights

 The annual pro-life poster contest was sponsored by the council with this year’s theme; “Mother/Baby: Love Both of Them.” Three student teams from grades 7-12 submitted posters, and winners in each group received cash prizes at an award ceremony honoring all participants.

By: Gary Merritt - Sat, Apr 18, 2020 7:30 PM

Please Give Blood!

 With the recent travel restrictions and the stay at home order, many blood donation sites have been shut down.

 Governor Whitmer is encouraging Michiganders to give blood.

 With Charity being the first principle of our order, please consider donating.

 The Knights of Columbus was the first national organization to have a blood donor program. Now they collect more than 400,000 pints of blood each year.

By being the first national organization to sponsor a donor program, the Knights of

 Columbus became a pioneer in blood donation. In 1938, two years before the Red Cross’s wartime blood drive, Knights of Columbus councils worked with local hospitals to organize blood drives in centers set up by Knights.

 Knights of Columbus! Our Brothers and Sisters need our help again! Due to the Covid-19 crisis, blood supplies are historically low.

Please contact the following for more information and to schedule an appointment.

 Red Cross: 1-800-733-2767, redcrossblood.org

 Michigan Blood: 1-866-642-5663, donate.michigan.versiti.org

 UPBlood: 1-800-491-4483, mgh.org

By: Gary Merritt - Thu, Apr 16, 2020 7:30 PM

 ***Update*** COVID-19 Virus

 Following the guidelines of our Federal, State and Local Government as well as the Center for Disease Control.  In cooperation with the Michigan Lottery Charitable Gaming and the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council; we are making necessary changes to our Michigan Knights of Columbus State Charity Raffle drawing. 

 While the raffle will continue as scheduled, the raffle party has been cancelled.  Our raffle drawing will still take place on April 16, 2020.  Due to Governor Whitmer’s Executive order #2020-20 unfortunately this will not be an open event.

 Brother Knights, now is the time to go through your mail at home and find those tickets that were mailed to you in November.  Please sell your tickets or purchase them and send the returns into the State Office.  (please DO NOT send cash).  This may be a great time to purchase your tickets and gift them to your family and friends, to put a smile on their face of happy times to come when the COVID-19 Virus passes.  Thanks to your efforts, diligent sales and participation, the State Charity Raffle has been trending higher in revenue and sold ticket returns than last year.  However, this unforeseen COVID-19 Virus has put a damper on what traditionally has been one of our most active sales surges, our Knights of Columbus and Parish FISH FRIES.   Most if not all fish fries have been cancelled or drastically reduced to carry out only.  Couple this with all Masses being cancelled and we are losing what traditionally has been great opportunities for sales. 

 Brother Knights who have bought or sold your tickets and sent your returns to the State Office, Thank you.  Brothers who took and sold extra tickets, Thank you.  Brothers who have sold extra tickets after Mass and at our Fish Fries, Thank You.  Now is the time to send your sold ticket stubs and checks into the State Office.  “We need YOU!”

 Have we told ya we love ya today?

 Gary “Elwood Blues” DeCarlo & Kevin “Joliet Jake” Rowley 

  Michgan State Charity Raffle Chairmen

Our State Raffle update as of 4/15 = $221,487.00.  This is really outstanding considering what is currently happening.  Just a reminder that there is only 1 day left before the drawing on April 16, 2020. If you have ticket to submit you better overnight them.  Go Knights of Columbus you're the greatest we need you more than ever.   Money to councils as of 4-10 was $44,297.40 God Bless all of you for supporting our 2020 State Raffle.

  "Did we tell you we love you today!"

 Gary DeCarlo and Kevin Rowley - State Raffle Directors

By: Gary Merritt - Tue, Apr 14, 2020 7:30 PM

Our Worthy State Training Director Jim Escott has created two new videos. The first is to help with registering for Youth Protection and the second is to help create a mikofc.org gmail account.

	To view the video on Youth Protection click on the logo to the left.
	To view the video on email help  click on the logo to the left.

You will have the ability to access these videos from our websit under Resources/Manuals and Documentation/Trianing Powerpoints after this article has run it's course.

By: Gary Merritt - Tue, Apr 14, 2020 7:30 PM

O Mary, you always brighten our path as a sign of salvation and of hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the Cross, took part in Jesus’ pain while remaining steadfast in faith. O loving Mother, you know what we need, and we are confident you will provide for us as at Cana in Galilee. Intercede for us with your Son Jesus, the Divine Physician, for those who have fallen ill, for those who are vulnerable, and for those who have died. Intercede also for those charged with protecting the health and safety of others and for those who are tending to the sick and seeking a cure. Help us, O Mother of Divine Love, to conform to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus, who took upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows, so as to lead us, through the Cross, to the glory of the Resurrection. Amen. Under thy protection we seek refuge, O Holy Mother of God. In our needs, despise not our petitions, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen. Adapted from the prayer of Pope Francis  Here is a link for meditation to this prayer.

The ancient fresco of Madonna del Soccorso (Our Lady of Help) i n St. Peter’s Basilica was restored with the support of the Knights of Columbus to mark the Year of Faith (2012-2013). Photo courtesy of Fabbrica di San Pietro/M. Falcioni.