February 2007
My Brother Knights:
Can you believe that February is already half over? It is amazing to see where the time has gone. February is usually a slow month no matter what we do as a council or individuals, however this month our council was very busy. On February 3rd we had our annual blood drive run by Count Cetrulo. When I first arrived to donate blood, I was amazed to see the number of people who had turned out to donate. I don’t know what the final number of donations was, but whatever the Count was doing worked. Nick – thanks for all your efforts.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as we see with Nick’s son Ralph. While Nick was busy taking our blood, Ralph was busy running the Council and District free throw contest. Again, another event sponsored by the Knights that was very well attended. All the kids that participated did very well, and while not all the kids advanced to the District contest or the State contest, they all had a good time. Ralph – thanks for chairing this event, it’s great to see our Council succeed, but it’s a better feeling to see all the smiles on the faces of the participants.
While our council is always at the top of the list in helping our fellow man and running successful events, one thing that we have not been successful at is self-promotion. Many times we’ve talked about getting the word out so that others can see the good that we do and so we can also gain new members. While we are getting better at this, I think that a step in the right direction would be to have membership applications at all our events. With the number of men who turned out to donate blood or bring their kids to the free throw contest, had we a few applications, I’m sure we could have gained at least one new member. So I would ask each event chairman to please make sure they have membership applications at their event. You never know who may say yes.
I realize that it’s still winter, however the annual bus trip to Camden Yards to see the Yankees verses the Orioles is scheduled for Sunday, July 29th. Get your tickets now, as this trip usually sells out quickly. The annual golf trip to Water Gap Golf Club is scheduled for Friday, July 6th. The cost is $115 per person and includes golf, cart, lunch, dinner and bus transportation to and from the course. Please contact me if you are interested. Last year we had 27 golfers and this year I’d like to top 30.
Lastly, the Knight of the Month Award for February goes to someone who works behind the scenes to insure that all our activities are successful. This person is so dedicated that even though he was in the hospital, he helped to solicit donors for the blood drive by calling them. This person also volunteered to be our cook for May, thus ensuring that I won’t need to ask for any more chefs during my term. So please join me in congratulating our Knight of the Month for February 2007 – Gerry Martino. Thanks Gerry.
May His Light Guide You,
Derek J. Jess
Grand Knight
POSTINGS
- A motion was made and seconded to donate our annual $350 to the Little League.
- A motion was made and seconded to donate our annual $600 to the Whippany Park scholarship.
- A motion was made and seconded to donate $500 to the Bishop Dougherty Scholarship.
- A motion was made and seconded to donate $1,500 to sponsor the Township Summer Concert Series.
- A motion was made and seconded to donate $1,000 toward a new sound system for OLM.
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A motion was made and seconded to donate $400 to the Boy/Girl Scout Rosary Patch program.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
3/17 – St. Pat’s Dinner Dance 5/6 – 4th Degree Communion breakfast
3/24-25 – Recruitment blitz 6/1 – Tricky Tray
4/15 – Communion breakfast 6/2 – Eva’s Kitchen
4/21 – Little League opening day 7/6 – Council Golf Outing
4/21 – Leadership seminar for officers 7/29 – Yankee trip to Camden Yards
4/26-29 – Mentally Challenged Citizen’s Drive 10/29 – Council Dinner Dance
St. PATRICK’S DINNER DANCE
This year’s dance is another sell-out. You can still be on the waiting list by contacting Mark Kearney. We do need help setting up, decorating, working the front door, cooking, serving food, etc. Hope to see you there on 3/17.
COMMUNION BREAKFAST
Our annual Communion Breakfast will be held on April 15th. A mass will be held at OLM at 9:30 followed by brunch at Harold’s Deli on Rt 46 in Parsippany. This year’s honoree for the Augie Maffie Lifetime Achievement award is our Historian Dan Aloia. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for children. Contact Carmen Blandino at 887-1272 for tickets and info.
ROSES FOR LIFE
Thanks to the 36 Brothers who helped collect a record $1,500 in this year’s Roses for Life drive to benefit unwed pregnant women.
This year 78 people registered to donate blood at our drive – A NEW RECORD. Of those, 67 donors were accepted and 11 deferred. There were a couple of first-time blood donors.
I would like to thank all brother knights who either registered to donate blood and/or worked at the Blood Drive. They are Jerry Martino, Joe Quinn, Bob Peters, Tony Lentine, Ray Keimig, Nathan, Kevin and Joe Ward, Dennis Fashano, Robert Flieger, Dan Aloia, Jerry Berardi, Michael Ricciardi, Joseph Salko, Robert Hinck, Joe Milano, Joseph Gilberti, Joe Passauro, Doug Mascolo, Joe Bono, Don DePalma, Dennis Dittrick, Derek and Kaleigh Jess, Richard Koch, and Ralph and Big Nick Cetrulo. (I hope I didn't miss anyone!).
Special thanks to Father Jude and Notre Dame of Mount Carmel for all of their help and support as always…
THANKS, Nick “The Count” Cetrulo, Chairman
EVA’S KITCHEN
On June 2nd, we will be making our annual trip to Eva’s Kitchen in Paterson. We need cooks and helpers. See Bob Flieger for info 887-6752.
FREE-THROW CONTEST
Chairman Ralph Cetrulo with some of the record 52 participants at this year’s Free Throw Contest !
Thanks Ralph, Great Job !
JUST A PARTY !
Coinciding with the 23rd anniversary of Father Dan’s ordination and the feast of St. Casimir (Patron Saint of Poland and Lithuania) on Sunday, March 4th, blues legend Willie “Big Eyes” Smith (a singer, harmonica player, and drummer who worked for years with the great Muddy Waters) decided to bring his band to the area on tour. Fr. Dan thought it would be fun to celebrate everything together on the feast of St. Casimir by having a party with Willie Smith as featured performer. The show and party will be on 3/4 at 6:00pm in the brand new Ukranian American Cultural Center located at 62 N. Jefferson Rd. in Whippany. Admission for Parishioners and Knights is $20 which includes all-you-can-eat. All others pay $22. For info and tickets, contact Fr. Dan at the OLM rectory. This should be a great time !!! Let’s try to be there to support our Chaplain, Fr. Dan.
And speaking of Father Dan…
Thank you for the great meal at our February Social Meeting.
“HELP MENTALLY CHALLENGED CITIZENS”
The Drive will take place on April 26-29. Save the dates. Volunteers needed. Contact Dennis Fashano at 292-9560
Congrats
Congratulations to Richard Koch, Joe Barron, and Santiago Guzman on the successful completion of their 3rd degree !
Tricky Tray
Our annual Tricky Tray is coming on Friday, June 1st. This is our biggest fundraiser for the year and supports many of the charities which benefit from our donations.
Donations of gifts, money, or solicitations are needed NOW ! Please help.
Contact Joe Milano 973-463-0797 for info.
Bishop Dougherty Scholarship
Anyone interested in applying for the annual Bishop Dougherty Scholarship must submit the application to the Grand Knight by March 1st.
Paterson Federation Scholarship
For Catholic students entering Catholic High Schools, a $1000 annual, four-year scholarship is available through the Paterson Federation. Please contact your Grand Knight for info. Applications are due by May 15th.
EAS CLUB NEWS
As we enter the 30th year of our formation (March 31, 1977) and, as our Council membership has reached 350 strong, I have been asked to explain how and why the Club was formed. The Knights of Columbus are a non-profit organization and, as such, cannot legally own any property. If they did, they would lose their non-profit status with the IRS. The charter members, at that time, voted to put together a committee to form an organization to handle this matter. The committee consisted of Frank Manganelli, Don Ryan, August Maffie, Carmen Blandino, Dan Finerin, Joe Foley, and Ed Sheridan. Most councils have a “Columbian Club” separately to handle the management of renting and owning a building and paying the taxes for such.
After many meetings, a set of by-laws were drawn up and approved for our “Columbian Club.” In order to separate our “Club” from other councils, everyone agreed to name our Columbian Club “E.A.S. Club of Hanover Township, Inc.” and we were incorporated in 1978. (E.A.S. stands for Elizabeth Ann Seton.) The Club’s Board of Trustees consists of the Council Grand Knight, the 3 Council Trustees, and 5 at-large members. Every member, in good standing, of Council #6904 is automatically a member of the Club. A meeting of the general membership is held once a year with a financial report made, and election of at-large trustees for a two-year term held.
Over the years, Club members have run different functions (i.e. brick clubs, raffles, and even an “ice show” at the high school) to raise money for the Club in the hopes of accumulating enough funds to have our own building. As the Council grew, and held more functions itself, it became more difficult for the Club to run fundraisers without conflicting with the Council. Because of this, in 1997, a paragraph was added to the Council by-laws stating that 5% of all dues collected in addition to all initiation fees of new members would be transferred to the “building fund” or, specifically, the E.A.S. Club. The Club is a separate entity and is registered as such with the State of New Jersey.
Carmen Blandino, President of the E.A.S Club
Thanks to Dennis and Joe…
Many thanks to Dennis Dittrick and Joe Passauro for holding the “Feel the Love” OLM Valentine’s luncheon on Sunday, February 11.
F Y I
By Bob Flieger
≈ You can thank Brother Tony Lentine and Brothers Bob and Howard Steiger for putting up our Keep Christ in Christmas posters.
≈ It may be my imagination, but it seems like there has been more “keeping Christ in Christmas” this year (in cards, stores, greetings, etc.). Let’s keep up our efforts next year.
≈ On Saturday May 5th at 3:00pm, a group of us will be going to Community Theater in Morristown to see Cirque Le Masque… a smaller version of Cirque du Soleil. Want to join us? $25 tickets…call me QUICK 973-887-6752.
≈ Many thanks to Father Dan for a GREAT meal at our February Social meeting.
≈ New record for Roses ! Thanks to our very eloquent four priests and the hard work of Brother Mike Ricciardi (the whole weekend) as well as the many Brothers who collected. We reached a new record for unwed mother… Congratulations and thanks to all!
≈ We have a new Youngest Grandpa! Basil Kaspar at 51… Can anybody beat that?
≈ Which reminds us… Remember Basil’s story about repairing bicycles for the poor? Well, the number is now over 1,500 ! And we hear Supreme might make it a nationwide program! Congrats and well done Brother Basil!! (He and Mike still like 6904).
≈ Say one for Brother Frank Markey… and give him a call… Get well soon, Frank.
≈ Carmen DePalma, Brother Don’s wife, sews caps for cancer patients. Isn’t that nice?!?
≈ Brother Tony Lentine and I visited Brother Phil Agatino. Phil says “Hello” to all… He’ll be 95 in November !
≈ Count Dracula Cetrulo had another successful Blood Drive… Thanks Nick!
≈ FANTASTIC! That’s what everyone said about Dennis Dittrick’s “Valentine Party” at OLM on February 11th… Dennis and lots of Brother Knight helpers did a great job… Thanks Den!