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HONORING THE PAST ~ EMBRACING THE FUTURE
December 2004
VOLUME XXIX ISSUE 6
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Contents . . .
GRAND KNIGHT'S MESSAGE
Dear Bother Knights and Ladies, I want to begin my message this month with a word of thanks. In thinking about it, I realize that as we approach the Christmas season, giving thanks is very much in order. So let me start by thanking all of the Brother Knights who participated in the Tootsie Roll Campaign. Special thanks to Bill Thews, E. J. Cummings, Tom Ryan, Forrest Roby and the rest of the crew for a job well done. Through their efforts we collected $5,708.49 for the mentally handicapped here in Montgomery County. Thanks also to Jack Giacalone, who chaired our first Silent Auction and Dinner/Dance Fundraiser. Indeed, thanks to all the Brothers and Ladies who served on the planning committee and helped to make this affair so successful. A special thank you goes to the Chairman of St. Andrew Kim, Brother Dale Park, for arranging for us to use the wonderful Hall. Equally important thanks to all of the Brother Knights, Ladies, Widows and friends who donated gifts, sold tickets, purchased tickets and attended this really outstanding affair. Everyone had a wonderful time. The food was wonderful and the DJ kept us dancing the night away.
Our October 2004 Knight of the Month and Family of the Month have been identified as follows: The Knight of the Month Award goes Bill Thews for his leadership in organizing the Tootsie Roll Campaign. The Family of the Month Award goes to the Joe and Lynn Feakes family for their outstanding work on the Silent Auction including developing and printing the Auction catalog, leading the Auction set-up, helping to design our flawless cash-out system and being an MC extraordinaire! Special thanks to all our award recipients for being involved in our Council's activities.
Joyeux Noel! Please don't forget our Annual Christmas Party. This year the party will be held at Our Lady of Grace Church (Leisure World) on Sunday, December 19th. Let's bring our families together to have fun together while we celebrate the birth of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ and thank Him for all the blessings we have received.
Lord strengthen our faith so we may continue to do Your work.
Donna and I and all of the council officers and their families wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year. We ask that you remember our men and women who are serving in the armed forces. May God keep them safe.
Yours in Christ,
Innocent P. d'Almeida
Grand Knight
FRATERNAL BENEFITS
If you and your wife are in good health when you retire, you should look carefully at the insurance policy you buy the day you retire. It is a very special policy. It is only available on the day you retire. It has a fixed premium, often several hundred dollars a month, has no cash value, and does not pay a lump sum, tax-free, to your wife when you die. It pays only a monthly benefit, and only for those months between your death and your wife's death. If your wife dies before you, then it pays nothing -- and in most cases your premium continues for the rest of your life. If you both die about the same time, nothing goes to your heirs.
This may sound like a lousy insurance policy, but it is the biggest seller in the country. It is sold without any sales force, no advertising and no promotion. This is your survivorship option when you retire!
There is a better way, if you can qualify. It is better for you and your wife and your family. A modern permanent life policy can do the exact same thing as the survivorship benefit but with flexibility, cash values growing at a high yield, tax benefits and a heck of a lot cheaper than taking the survivorship option.
If you are closing in on retirement or would like to explore your options -- call me today.
Fraternally, Rick Morin, FICF/LUTCF
Your K of C Agent -- 301.384.7627
CHAPLAIN'S MESSAGE
These thoughts come from my pen right before the Mass of St. Cecilia, the patron Saint of Music, is held here at St. Patrick's the last Friday before Thanksgiving. They are therefore directed to the month of December, the end of things for the secular calendar, but a time of Advent for us.
Advent is a time of waiting. In our consumer society, waiting is thought to be a waste of time, for we are in a hurry to get things done! Advent calls this attitude into question: summons it to the dock of salvation history, as it were, and convicts it of forgetfulness, which our ancestors in faith equated with exile, with loss of identity. Waiting is not just important, it is essential.
Waiting is thought to be a passive thing, while in fact it is quite active, for it requires our cooperation, it requires imagination, it requires contemplation. Take just a moment to consider what we are waiting for. We are waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled, we are waiting for the new life, which is nothing if not eternal.
In theology the whole precedes and produces the parts. The vision God gives of heaven, sins forgiven, mankind restored gives us an interpretive key with which to understand our lives, with our joys, our hopes, our triumphs, tragedies and sorrows. Faith gives that broader perspective in which we understand that God will make all things work together for the good of his chosen ones.
Salvation history is the great school of waiting in faith, for us as well as Israel, which journeyed from promise to promise, through punishment to restoration until the Messiah was born. Nor did the waiting end when Jesus arrived and established the Church for while we await his return in glory our waiting is a time of evangelization.
The Pope has proclaimed this a year of the Eucharist, a year to wait in the Lord's presence and realize: "the vision is for its appointed time, it hastens towards its end and it will not lie; although it may take some time, wait for it, for come it certainly will before too long." Habbakuk 2:3
And while we wait, let us remember each other in prayer.
Fraternally Yours,
Fr. Fred Close
DISTRICT DEPUTY'S MESSAGE
Christmas is always a special feast. All by itself it represents our five focus areas all at the same time. Church - it gives us a special reason to focus on Advent with its wreath and the wonderful vigil services; Community - it gives us a special reason to be more attentive to those having difficult times where we make a special effort to help our neighbors in trouble with food baskets and toy donations. Family - families will take time from their busy schedules to get together for a special time of sharing their love, OH how I remember the trips to grandmother's house. Youth - there is always the council children's Christmas party and the preparation of the home with a tree, lights and OH the cookies mom used to make. Council - what a better time for our extended family (our Council) to reflect on how we care about each other and our successes as well as making a special effort to see everyone at the annual Christmas party.
The information on the Maryland State Scholarships is now available. It should have been published in your Council bulletin if it is not included in this December issue.
Grand Knights and Deputy Grand Knights - mark your calendar for January 8, 2005. This is the date of the Mid-Term meeting to be held at Cardinal Gibbons' Council. More importantly, make sure your wives know that they are also invited and the ladies will go on a trip while we meet. There will be a special program for the Deputy Grand Knights, which is why you need to make a special effort to attend.
With it being the Christmas season, what better gift to give then a membership into the Knights of Columbus or pay the dues of someone that can't afford one? See your Membership Director or Financial Secretary for those in need.
Finally, my wife Shirley, our District Warden Ernest Harley, his wife Mary and I would like to wish all of you and your families the special blessings that this holy season represents and we pray that the new year of 2005 will bring you much prosperity and joy.
Please remember to pray your Rosary and may God Bless,
Kevin L. Jeffords
District Deputy #11
DINNER DANCE SILENT AUCTION...A GREAT SUCCESS!!!
On Saturday evening, November 13, Fr Peter Paul Maher held its first annual Dinner Dance Silent Auction at St Andrew Kim parish center. The event was attended by 125 guests eager to participate in the evening's activities. The silent auction presented over 75 items for bidding, ranging from a duck paper towel holder to a week's stay at a Marriott condominium in Orlando, Florida. Lady luck (50/50) collected $250 and $125 was won by none other than Fr La Hood, who was present. The buffet dinner, carefully prepared and served by Chef Gordon Schulmeyer and his staff, was a culinary feast. It included tasty appetizers like bourbon barbecue meatballs and shrimp with chili sauce on crisp. Main dishes included, sautéed chicken and beef in sauce served along with vegetables and much more. Last but not lease a desert worthy of its name "supreme chocolate indulgence brownies". In addition, strawberries on white cake with amaretto topping and fresh fruit cup helped close out this dining experience. There was also plenty of wine and beer to satisfy thirsty dancers and bargain hunters. The music, provided by Brother DJ Robert D'Onofrio, filled the hall with excitement and kept everyone on their feet, while dancing the electric slide.
The event was a great success for the Council and all those who attended. We look forward to the 2nd annual dinner dance silent auction next year and we hope to see you there sharing in the fun and supporting our Council.
Jack Giacalone,
Deputy Grand Knight
Photo from Dinner Dance and Silent Auction on November 13
CHRISTMAS CAROLING AT MONTGOMERY GENERAL HOSPITAL
Please come and join us in our traditional hour of caroling at Montgomery General Hospital on Wednesday, December 15th. We will meet in the hospital lobby a little earlier this time. Please arrive by 6:45 p.m. and will sing carols on various floors until 8 pm.
As always, songbooks are provided and no singing ability is required. This is a small way for us to brighten the season for those confined to the hospital during the holiday season.
If you have any questions, please call Steve Goldhammer at 301-570-9613. Otherwise, bring your family and friends for an hour of sharing the joy of the holiday season with others.
RETREATS HOSTED BY MARYLAND STATE COUNCIL
The Maryland State Council will be hosting two One-Day Retreats at The Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, Maryland. The cost of each retreat is $30 which includes lunch. The dates for these retreats are:
If you are interested in attending any of the retreats, please contact E.J. Cummings, Church Activities Director, at 301-260-2846 for more information.
PANCAKE & SAUSAGE DAY 2005
MARK YOUR CALENDARS. On Saturday, February 19th, 2005, Father Peter Paul Maher Council along with the LIONS CLUB of Olney, will again sponsor the 29th Annual Pancake and Sausage Day. The usual "ALL YOU CAN EAT" breakfast at St. John's Episcopal Church Hall in Olney will provide the Council with the major source of funding for our annual College Scholarship Program. The full page flyer elsewhere in the Newsletter gives the details.
Two important reminders. FIRST: Council Members will be needed to work the dining room from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. This will be done in the usual two shifts of 7:00 am to 11:00 am, which includes set up, and the 11:00 am to 3:00 pm shift which includes take down and clean up. Many hands will make for light work. Contact Bro. Jack Giacalone (301-774-6338) or email jgiacal@verizon.net to volunteer. SECOND: A very important source for the success of the event is the Advertisements in the Program Booklet. Contact Bob Caron (301-774-6951) or Jack Giacalone (301-774-6338) with your ad. Remember, two complimentary tickets are given with each Ad.
HEALTH ARTICLE
by Bill Gulban
Steps to Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer's. One of the greatest fears that people have about growing older is developing Alzheimer's disease. This neurodegenerative disorder, which affects some 10% of people over 65 and nearly half of those over 85, impairs memory, thinking, behavior and is eventually fatal. There are family members in our Council who have this dreadful disease, with one Brother Knight having died this year from Alzheimer's and his widow suffering with the same. Currently there is no cure, and the drug treatments now available offer only modest benefits. Yet, Alzheimer's is not an inevitable consequence of aging, and it's encouraging to see the mounting research suggesting that lifestyle changes and certain supplements may reduce your risk of getting it. Alzheimer's tends to run in families, but generic factors appear to account for only about half of one's susceptibility to the disease, which causes the brain to develop abnormal protein deposits (amyloid plaques) and tangles of nerve fibers that damage brains cells over time. Other factors now believed to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's include chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, being less educated, and having cardiovascular problems or risk factors.
Maintaining Your Brain. The following ways can help keep Alzheimer's at bay. The disease may begin 30 years before symptoms first appear, so the earlier in life that you adopt these preventive practices the better. But even people in their 70s may be able to help prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's by employing the following steps.
Stay mentally active. A recent study of older adults found that reading books and newspapers, playing cards, doing puzzles, playing a musical instrument, and dancing may all reduce the risk.
Get regular exercise. Research suggests regular physical activity can lower the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's by 30-50%. Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity on most days of the week.
Eat a diet rich in antioxidants. Two studies reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that eating a diet rich in vitamins E and C lowers risk of the disorder. Leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, peppers and broccoli for vitamin C and nuts, seeds, wheat germ and vegetable oil for vitamin E.
Eat fish. Studies show that eating fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk. In one study, older people who ate fish at least once a week were 60% less likely to develop the disorder. Foods rich in omega-3s include salmon, sardines, walnuts, and flaxseed.
Limit saturated and trans-fats. One study of older people found that those who consumed the most saturated fat (found in meat and whole-fat dairy products) or trans-fat (in many margarines and other processed foods) were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's.
Control cardiovascular risk factors. There is growing evidence that many risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes also increase Alzheimer's risk. Manage your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar) through lifestyle changes, and if necessary, medication.
Take your vitamins. In addition to getting vitamins C and E from food, consider supplementing them. Some (but not all) studies suggest they have a protective effect. In a recent study, older people who took daily required supplements were 64% less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Taking multivitamins including folic acid, B-6, and B-12 can keep your homocysteine levels in check.
Consider a natural anti-inflammatory. Epidemiological studies have linked regular use of ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) with a lower risk of Alzheimer's. Avoid smoking and excess alcohol. Smoker are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's as nonsmokers. Using moderate consumption alcohol (one or two drinks per day) may help protect against Alzheimer's, however, heavy consumption increases your risk of the disorder. Be safe. A history of head trauma is linked to a higher risk, perhaps due to a low-grade inflammation persisting after the injury has healed. Always wear seat belts, a helmet as needed and footwear with good traction in icy conditions.
This article is supported by Dr. Weil's Self Healing Medical Newsletter.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES CORNER--GHOSTS & GOBLINS TOOK OVER AT INWOOD HOUSE
by Bill Gulban
On Saturday, October 30, the eve of Halloween, over 25 Brother Knights and their family members planned and enjoyed the 5th Halloween Festival for the residents of The Inwood House. Beginning the event, 120 masquerading residents were served buffet dinner by Council family members in decorated dining rooms. During and after the dinner residents were entertained by our own jolly clown, Mike D'Onofrio, who made balloon hats, animals, and other items. After dinner all assembled into the recreation room with bats and goblins hanging from the ceiling, and all had punch and witches brew. Thanks to Brother Knight Joe Feakes, who led the music and Karaoke for more entertainment for the assembly. And for more entertainment, The President's Men, the barbershop quartet sang and even got the residents and all involved in the singing. Following the entertainment, everyone assembled back into the dining room for cake and costume award prizes and door prizes. Our own Brother Knight and Inwood House member, Nick Padams, took 1st and best male costume award.
It is with great pleasure that I name all helpers who made this happy event possible. My thanks go to the Knights and their families who gave love, patience, and comfort to all who attended. In particular, John Moore, who helped organize, plan, and purchase food and drinks; Jack & Phyllis Giacalone, Lynn Feakes, the cooks; the servers, Chuck & Mary Cozad, Lynn Feakes, the Feakes' two daughters and their guys, Pat Tuegel, Pat Moore, Elodia D'Onofrio, Stephen Goldhammer, Jane & Gerry Hemmingson; decorations in addition to some helpers above, Tim Boland, Jim Bonanno; awards and prizes, Roberta & Bill Homick; Lynn Feakes, Nadine Ketter, Phyllis Gagliardo: awards presenter, Innocent d'Almeida: punch & witches maker & servers, Bill & Joan Wanatosky; reception & ticketing, Donna d'Almeida, Janeth Kamala; poster design, Rick Allison; favors & goodie bags and funding, Barbara Roark, Bertha Padams; camcorders, Jim Bonanno & myself. If I forgot any other helpers for their kind giving to this project, my apologies.
LOST & FOUND
LOST & FOUND after the Inwood House dinner, one premium black plastic serving spoon, Farberware make. Call Bill Gulban.