The Tar Heel Knight

Greetings from the mountains of western North Carolina.
 
Back when I was around five years old, I used to have a recurring dream.  I was a bus driver…but this wasn’t just any bus.  This was the bus to heaven!  I would pick up the recently departed who would get on the bus, and then the bus would drive into the clouds, and I would come back for more.  I remembered this particular dream because I had it on multiple occasions.
 
As I was reflecting recently, I recalled this recurring dream from childhood.  Thinking about it, in a way, that is what we are doing in our role as Knights of Columbus.  We are driving the bus, through our programs, through our joyful service, through our work in the parishes, our prayers and fraternity, and through bringing Jesus to the people and places that need him most.  We help bring them closer to Christ; we reflect the light of Christ in a world filled with darkness.  It is truly a special calling we have as Knights – and it’s easy to see why the Order has been growing so rapidly worldwide and here in North Carolina over the past few years.  Men cannot find what they truly need out there in the world at large, but we can help guide them and bring them back to Christ and His Church, and the peace the world cannot give.
 
This month, I am taking over the role of State Treasurer for the upcoming fraternal year.  What if I told you there was one way to save your council money and make your council more money that you can give to the causes that are near and dear to you?  Well, there is a way.  It’s called the State Raffle.  Your councils get 50% of the cost of each ticket sold.  The state relies on the raffle as one of its two major sources of income, along with state per capita.  Our raffle income decreased by around $4,000 from 2025 to 2026. Meanwhile, costs continue to go up.  If we don’t sell enough raffle tickets, the only other income option for the state is your per capita.  So, please get on the bus and create your game plan for a successful raffle now.  This will help to keep your per capita down and provide your councils with extra income.  It’s a win win for everybody.
 
I look forward to serving you in this new role, and I am available to answer your questions.
 
“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
 
Vivat Jesus!