Local Knights of Columbus council marks 100th anniversary

Knights of Columbus Council 2008 at Washington celebrated its 100th anniversary with a special dinner on July 21 with more than 100 members, spouses and friends, and special guests attending. The state jurisdiction of Iowa was represented by current State Warden, Richard Jacoby, Grinnell and Michael Bormann, General Agent of Eastern Iowa, Knights of Columbus Insurance Division.

The council was founded June 30, 1919, and now has 277 members including three men who joined as first degree Knights this past week.

The day's activities started with Mass, celebrated by the Rev. Dennis Martin, former council chaplain and former pastor at St. James Church. Following Mass, the crowd enjoyed a social hour, with a catered dinner provided by Barb and Dick Baker.

Past Grand Knight and celebration committee member, Dennis Ives, served as emcee for the evening. Ives recalled the many activities, social and charitable, that the council members participated in over the years. Some of those include the annual Pancake and Sausage day fundraiser to support the needs of persons with intellectual disabilities, vocation breakfasts to support funding of individuals studying for the priesthood and religious life, fish fry dinners, annual scholarships for high school seniors entering college and fundraisers to St. James Catholic School and Church youth programs.

To finish out the evening, members and guests were shown a special pictorial presentation of the history of the local council by longtime council member Wilfrid Vittetoe. Special recognition was given to the 27 members who currently have 50 years or more of membership in the Knights of Columbus.

About Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus is one of the nation's premier volunteer and charitable organizations. Last year, Knights worldwide donated more than 75.6 million hours, and more than $185 million to charitable causes in communities throughout the Americas, as well in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. From helping children in need, to providing wheelchairs for the disabled, to helping stock food banks, to offering top-rated and affordable life insurance to its members, the Knights has been at the service of the community for more than 130 years.