Volume 23 Number 07 Linden Lines Father Linden Council 3627 March, 2015
From the Editor
As you can tell from the Banner, someone is celebrating an anniversary this month. A V Motz took his first degree with the Knights of Columbus on March 28, 1965. This year marks his 50th Anniversary as a Knight all with The Father Linden Council. Later on in this issue the editor will share some fun facts about Al V Motz that you may not be aware of. Happy Anniversary Al from your Linden Lines Editor Sir Knight LeRoy Dziewulski.
Wrapping Up February
On February 10, 2015 the Council held its’ 33rd Annual Spelling Bee at St. Zachary School. Congratulations to Carmela Aldea, Bridget Sloan, and Cosette Gutierrez (8th Graders from St. Zachary) who finished in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
Cosette, Bridget, and Carmela will advance to the next round of competition to take place at St. Catherine Laboure School in Glenview, Illinois on February 28th beginning at 11 A.M. Good Luck Girls.
Also participating in the Bee were St. Zachary students Szymon and Kasper Mocarski and Gerick Valena. Former St. Zachary student Brooke Jurczyk (she is now a student at Devonshire school also participated.
Thank you Miss Determann for allowing the Knights to use the Parish Room for this event.
Highlights of the March Meeting
Treasurer LeRoy Dziewulski presented two checks to Deacon Mike Wundsam of St. Zachary Parish. The first check was for $500 to be given to Father Jack for the Parking Lot Fund. The second check was for $100 to be given to Father Augustin for the Holy Hill Lenten Mission Trip on March 22. Deacon Mike stated that he could not come up with enough words to express the gratitude of the Clergy and Deacons of the Parish.
Grand Knight Jeff Jurczyk announced that Matt Kindle will be the Round Table chairman for the Council at St. Stephen’s Parish. Matt stated that he will be meeting with Father Noel to find out what kind of assistance He would like the Knights to provide the Parish the week of March 9th.
Reaching for the Star(s)
As you know one of the awards that Supreme gives out is for Star Council. The goal for the Council this year is 8 new members and 3 insurance members. As of this time we have 8 new members but two have opted out of the Knights leaving us a total gain of 6 members. The Council has until June 30th to bring in two new members to help our Grand Knight achieve the status of Star Council Award. Let’s work hard to make two consecutive years of at least Star Council Status a possibility.
At the March 6th meeting the Council welcomed Daniel Schaedel who took his First degree. Welcome Daniel and the Council invites you to actively participate in our meetings and also the events which we plan throughout the year whenever possible. Your ideas are always welcome and keep in mind that no idea is a bad idea unless you don’t voice it.
Who Took The First Degree in March
Elmer Sweet, A V Motz, Robert J. Motz, Nick Pistolis, Joe Witkus, Joe DalMaso, Gary Grabek, Dale Perry, Francis Guiao, David Motz, Edward Sowin, Giuseppe Caputo, Richard Bird, Robert Rovito, and John Zielinski, Daniel Schnedel
Who Took The Fourth Degree in March
William Whelan, A V Motz
March Birthdays
2. Robert V Motz
7 Peter Bueza
7 Miguel Hernandez
8. Ron Miller
8. William Whelan
10. Bruno DalMaso
11. Nick Imbo Jr.
15. Linda Kurcab
16. Francis Guiao
16. David A. Motz
18. Craig Slater
19. Rev. James Curry
19. Ron Zydel
20. Josephine Samborski
22. Ken Florey
25. Linda Berg
28. Rev. Thomas Bishop
29. Brandi Jurczyk
30. Marzio Dante
31. Joseph Robinson
31. Benjamin Schatz
March Anniversaries
20. Robert and Janice Provenzano
20. Joe and Christine DalMaso
27. Ken and Kristi Florey
28. AV Motz (50 Years a Knight)
April Calendar
10. Business Meeting (Parish Room – 7:30 P.M.)
16. Officers Meeting (Teachers Lounge 8:00 P.M.)
24-25-26: State Convention, Westin Hotel, Itasca, IL.
From Our Insurance Agent
April 15 (tax day) is right around the corner. It’s become popular this time of year to encourage the opening of an IRA or similar retirement annuity, or the depositing of additional funds into an existing account, as a tax-savings vehicle. Or perhaps someone has tried to convince you to open an account, touting the rate of interest that money in one of these accounts can earn. Let me join the chorus of folks encouraging you to open or add funds to an annuity, but for a different reason.
Certainly, contributing money to a Knights of Columbus annuity will allow you to save some money on your income tax return. And, our annuities do pay a very competitive interest rate, consistent with our primary goal of absolute safety of principal. Opening or adding to an annuity for these reasons, however, strikes me as taking a short-term view of a product that is designed to provide long-term security. How much security? How does retirement income that you cannot outlive — guaranteed — sound to you?
Here at the Knights of Columbus, you can open a retirement annuity for as little as $300. Consistent and disciplined savings placed into that annuity over time can guarantee you an income at retirement that you cannot outlive. That guarantee — along with the fact that no one has ever lost money left in a Knights of Columbus annuity (remember – absolute safety of principal) — really will provide you with peace of mind.
I am happy to meet with you – at your convenience and in your home – to explain in detail the benefits of opening a Knights of Columbus annuity, along with the benefits of our top-rated life insurance, disability income and long-term care insurance plans.
Jim Keefe
Field Agent
773-343-1003
From our Grand Knight To A.V. Motz
5O YEARS is a long, long time to be involved with any organization. To be involved with the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS for 5O YEARS as I see it is a labor of love, commitment, time, effort, volunteering of your every moment of your days, nights, you have to eat, sleep, being a KNIGHT almost a 24 hour 365 day a year commitment. You Alan have done that and then some. You know all the time you spent with meetings, traveling, hours you spent in front of a computer, the hundreds of people you talked to get what you wanted accomplished. You know all the different positions you held and what it took with time, volunteering, you are one heck of a man to get it all accomplished and keep your sanity, to hold a full time job, to keep your family happy, to keep yourself happy in doing what you have loved for 5O YEARS.
Diane and I have known you for 2O years and until 2O12 you did not try to push your Love of KNIGHTS and the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS on me. I really do appreciate that, I knew you were a KNIGHT and did not pay attention to it. I knew you sold tootsie rolls in front of Our Lady of Ransom once a year but that is all I knew about you.
If you had asked me 2O years ago to join the KNIGHTS I would have told you I do not have the time because of work, raising children etc. I would have been 53 years old with other problems to take on.
In August andSeptember of 2012 when Sandy and Diane talked about joining the KNIGHTS I guessthey got me at the right time, I retired from the CTA with 31yrs in 2011 almost a year into retirement with nothing to do exceptto sit around and take life as it came I was talked intogoing to a meeting to see what it was like and what could it hurt by doing so. I went to the meeting but I really did not feel ready to become a Knight. However, I did take the 1st degree and became involved and you know the rest of the story. I now can say I have worked you personally since 2012 and found out the type of involvement it takes to be a KNIGHT and what it takes to be a really good KNIGHT and I know one thing for sure no matter how hard I work I will never be able to accomplish as much as you did in the 5O YEARS as a KNIGHT.I have learneda lot from you, and I wish I could remember all that you showed me but that is impossible.
I love you as a Knight, as a friend for 20 years and forALL you have done to help me out in becoming a better man, Catholic, and Grand Knight. It will be very hard to pay you back because I cannot be as good and outstanding person that you are and I hope that your next 2O years will be as rewarding as the last 5OYEARS were.
THANK YOU, for all you have done and accomplished and I know with you help I will learn how to do a lot more with the
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS and the FR. LINDEN COUNCIL.
GOD BLESS YOU, SANDY, YOURFAMILY.
VIVAT JESUS
GRAND KNIGHT
JEFFREY E. JURCZYK
From The Treasurer and Financial Secretary
By now all members should have received their dues statement for 2015 or a Second Notice. Included with the statement is a brief questionnaire which we would ask each member to check, edit, and return with his remittance. By doing this you will allow us to make sure that the information we have on file is accurate. Thank you in advance for your help. As of this newsletter 65 members have paid their yearly dues resulting in an income of $1800.
Fun Facts About March
The 3rd month of the year is an outstanding one
In the Georgian calendar, the calendar that most of the world uses, March is the third month of the year. However, it was the first month and named Martius in the early Roman calendar. Later, the ancient Romans made January to be the first month so March became the third month, which always had 31 days. The name Mars was named after the Roman god of war. In March, the winter ends and spring begins. In the northern half of the world, spring begins in March 19-21, which is the day when the sun is directly over the equator. At this time, the animals end hibernation and begin to show up.
Below are some fun facts about March:
2. The zodiac signs for March are Aries (March 21 - April 19) and Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
3. The birth flower for March is daffodil.
4. American Red Cross Month
5. Fire Prevention Month
6. Women's History Month
7. National Reading Day
8. Saint David's Day
9. World Math's Day - the first Wednesday in March
10. March 1 is the date the Nebraskans celebrate the admission of their state to the union.
11. March 2nd is celebrated by Texas as the anniversary of its independence from Mexico.
12. On March 4, 1681, William Penn was granted Pennsylvania's royal charter.
13. March 25th is celebrated by people in Maryland to commemorate the arrival of the first Maryland colonists in 1634.
14. Purim, a Jewish festival usually occurs in March. It is held on the day corresponding to the 14th day of Adar on the Hebrew calendar.
15. March 8 - International Women's Day
16. March 14 - Pi Day
17. March 19 - Saint Joseph's Day
18. March 22 - World Water Day
19. March 23 - Pakistan Day
20. March 26 - Bangladeshi Independence Day
And Now Fun Facts About A V Motz
The editor conducted an email survey with Alan and below are some fun facts that he learned:
- Alan is 74 years old.
- Alan took his 1st degree March 28, 1965.
- Alan has been forever a member of the Father Linden Council.
- Alan took his 4th Degree on March 21, 1988.
- Alan has held the following Council Offices: Financial Secretary 24 years, Grand Knight 2 years (achieved star council both years), Trustee 1 year, Chancellor 1 year, ID Chairman 3 years, First Degree Team Member 15 years, President of Linden Club 8 years and General Agent for Linden Club 8 years.
- Alan has held the following Assembly Offices: Guard, Treasurer, Recorder, Pilot, Captain, Navigator, Admiral, and Comptroller 10 years.
- Alan has held the following State Offices: District Deputy 4 years Star District twice, State Report and History Chairman 2 years, State ID and Special Olympics Chairman, and State Convention twice.
- Alan has travelled to Rome twice. 1995 was his first time out of the country. He especially remembers the day he and his group had an audience with Pope John Paul II. Even though there were 100 present, it was a private audience. As the Pope was leaving the Room He stopped 2 people away from Al. He will never forget the Pope’s blue eyes and the glow around the Pope. He knew that this was a Holy Man. On the way to the Knights of Columbus office in Rome he and a Brother Knight met a Count who gave them a tour of his office, a book about the Knights, and a silver commemorative coin. They were invited to attend Mass in the Vatican and then for refreshments afterward. A highlight of this trip was that he had a friend being ordained a Deacon at St. Peters. All the lights in the Cathedral were turned on and they could see things most tourists will never see. He stood at the tomb to St. Peter and had mass the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi and visited the convent of Mother Teresa, walked in the catacombs, and visited the Vatican Museum.
- Al’s second trip to Rome was around 1997 on a Knights of Columbus Pilgrimage, The trip started in Assisi where they had a tour and then it was off to Florence and the Art Museums. Finally they arrived in Rome and the audience with Pope John Paul II was a general one on the steps of St. Peter with about 2000 other Pilgrims. Everyone was standing but the Group had seats about 10 rows from the Pope. The group had dinner with the Seminarians from Illinois who were studying in Rome. His wife Sandy and Al had dinner with the Seminarians from Illinois and they spoke with a man from Palatine and took a side trip to Pompeii. Al stated that both trips were great and he will always remember the great time he had.
- Al has four sons all 4th Degree members and Past Grand Knights of the Father Linden Council. His oldest son Alan is a former District and Past Navigator of Hillinger Assembly. Alan adds that all four sons are Eagle Scouts and hold the BSA religious award. Al also has told me that his son Robert took the opportunity to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. He has 2 grandsons and his oldest David is a 3rddegree member of Father Linden Council.
- Alan’s advice to someone thinking of becoming a Knight: Get involved, attend meetings and bring new ideas for future events. By attending meetings you will be heard and enjoy the fellowship of your fellow Catholics.
- His greatest experience has been in meeting new members. Al feels great when he is able to have his faith grow by helping others. When Al is able to help with a project and see the Council succeed he is very excited.
- Al really hasn’t had any unpleasant experiences but he does tend to get a little excited when someone is contrary but he does try to change the mindset.
- Finally, the editor asked his wife Sandy if Al could stay a Knight for another 50 years. Her response – WHY NOT. Sandy I neglected to make a stipulation and that is YOU NEED TO STAY IN ILLINOIS.
GOOD OF THE ORDER
Pat Swachta aunt of Jerry Manning (Passed Away)
Ed Manning father of Jerry Manning (Hospitalized)
Finally
Please visit us on Uknight interactive at Under Council Number enter 3627 and you will be directed to the Council web page. You can also view photos of the Council in Action by clicking on Photos Galleries on this web site. A site with more photos available is our Facebook Page. To access the Facebook page enter desplainesil and then click on photos. You do not need to have a Facebook account to access this page. If you have not already done so please remit your yearly dues and answer the questionnaire included so that the Council can continue to support the community and children of Des Plaines and surrounding areas with our many programs.
If you have any questions, comments (positive or negative), or suggestions for the Newsletter please email them to the editor at .
Vivat Jesus,
LeRoy Dziewulski
Editor
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