Knights of Columbus celebrates 100 years
Grand Knight Robert A. Karl presents a Knights of Columbus Life Member Award to his father, Robert L. Karl.
Grand Knight Bob Karl of the Lance Corporal Peter Clore Council 2372 of the Knights of Columbus at Sacred Heart Church in New Philadelphia welcomed members and guests to a recent 100th anniversary event.
A dinner and program were held April 30 at the Sacred Heart Parish Center, exactly 100 years from the day when the organization was first chartered on April 30, 1922.
“The council is a pillar of service upholding Christian values for the past 100 years. Since our founding in 1922, we’ve donated many community hours and provided financial support to organizations,” Karl said.
The group also put together a printed paper program for the event that included a detailed history section and photos of the Knights participating in projects and community service, memorial dedications, fish fries, chicken barbecues, and pancake breakfasts.
According to part of the history of the group in the program: “Since our founding in 1922, the council donated many community hours and provided financial support for Our Seminarians, Toys for Tots, Boys and Girls State, Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School, National Washington D.C. March for Life, St. Theresa School of Nursing in Tanzania, St. John Villa, Tuscarawas County Food Pantry, Lenten fish fries, collected money for the Knights of Columbus Ukraine Solidarity Fund and participated in the annual Tuscarawas County Walk for Life.”
The Knights also have helped with many projects at Sacred Heart and other events.
The group currently consists of 76 members with a smaller number of active members who attend the monthly meetings. Karl paid tribute to those who came before them.
“We are inspired by those previous members who have helped us reach the centennial milestone,” Karl said. “We pledge to remain active and to constantly seek out the youth of today to assist us in the next 100 years. We will continue to carry on a great future for Lance Corporal Peter Clore Council 2372 Knights of Columbus of Sacred Heart.”
Karl also thanked Deacon Ron Onslow and Father Jeff Coning for their support of the group.
“We also are thankful for Father Jeff for helping our parish with the building campaign. Therefore, this parish center became a reality,” Karl said of the addition to Sacred Heart Church several years ago that allowed a designated meeting room for the Knights.
Coning continued his support of the group, saying the Knights of Columbus is still a group that is highly relevant.
“The Knights of Columbus has proven over time to help the church continue to exist in this world. And so yes, there is a place for the Knights of Columbus in this world, and it is necessary, not only in this world, but it’s necessary not only here in Tuscarawas County, but it’s necessary here at Sacred Heart,” Coning said. “We need a managed organization that reinforces men to be men, and to do what men should, and to do it in the name of God and to do it in the name of the church.”
Coning said Knights are honorable, stand firm, are ready to work and ready to act when needed.
“I stand in debt to the Knights of Columbus as an organization as a whole and as an organization here at Sacred Heart,” Coning said. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you profoundly for sticking to it and being always there and being always ready to work. It’s not easy. It certainly hasn’t been easy in these last number of years. But it is holy work. It is necessary work.”
During the anniversary program, awards were conferred to some members. Honorary Life members named were Ronald Brodzinski, Thomas Brown, Rev. Jeffery Coning, Marion Degen, Thomas Fragasse, Terry Hamrick, Richard Huston, Robert L. Karl, Edward Krocker, William Monte, Thomas Nightengale, Raphael Schilz, Ross Stamm, Edward Streb, Frank Tolloti, William Uptegraph and James Vickers, Jr.
Honorary members named were Gary Espenschied and Timothy Tornabene.
Members celebrating 25 years of service were Dave Adams, James Birtcher, Michael Fredericks, Robert A. Karl, Steven Litty, Adam May, Joseph Morris, Anthony Sandy, James Seldenright, Craig Tolloti, Thomas Tornabene, David Triplett and Scott Vinci.
The longest serving Knights were recognized: Edward Streb with 65 years of service, Ray Schilz with 66 years of service and Robert L. Karl with 67 years of service.
Guest speaker Georgiana Kline of Birthright congratulated the Knights on their achievement and thanked them for their support of pro-life programs. Kline spoke about the history of the organization and its services.
The Birthright program was founded in the late 1960s in Toronto, Canada by Louise Summerhill, who had seen the despair women often felt with an unplanned crisis pregnancy.
Birthright was formed to help these women cope at a time when Canada started to legalize abortion, and it was presented as a solution for unplanned pregnancy, causing more pressure for some women. It was Summerhill who came up with the name Birthright under the guiding principle every pregnant woman has the right to give birth and every child has the right to be born.
The Birthright organization now has chapters all over the world. The New Philadelphia office is located at 1159 12th St. NW, and it can be called at 330-364-1752.
“We offer free pregnancy testing, maternity clothes, baby clothes newborn to 2T at our particular chapter,” Kline said. “We offer guidance, support — really hope and love to a woman in a crisis situation.”
The local chapter was started in 1991 and has been at its current location since 2007.
“It’s a very homey little place, very welcoming. And I know girls feel very comfortable coming in. We’re not a medical clinic, but we do offer free pregnancy testing and referrals. We give them nonjudgmental support to help them where they are,” Kline said, adding that working at Birthright has been a very gratifying experience.
The Knights presented a $300 donation to Birthright at the conclusion of Kline’s presentation.
In closing the program, Karl looked to the future.
“We pledge to remain active and to constantly seek out the youth of today to assist us in the next 100 years. We will continue to carry on a great future for the Lance Corporal Peter Clore Council 2372 Knights of Columbus of Sacred Heart with prayers and with our dedication and determination,” Karl said.
For more information on joining the Knights, call the Sacred Heart Church at 330-343-6976.