Welcome to the May 2026 edition of our Council newsletter!

A few quick but important items up-front before we get into the news.

• Our next regular business meeting will be this Wednesday, May 13th, starting at 7:30 p.m. Dinner for $5 will be at 6:30, as usual. We will be discussing elections for Council officers and Corporation directors (see the reports of the Council and Corporation nominating committees below). With so many activities to plan for and important business news to share, all members should attend!

• Chapter Meeting Fri. 5/19 - We are hosting a meeting of the Westchester/Putnam Chapter on Friday, May 19th in our Council Hall starting at 7 p.m. The Chapter is organized to promote the charitable efforts and general welfare of the councils, as well as and Catholic interests in general, in Westchester and Putnam Counties. If you are interested in what the Chapter is doing on a regional level, as well as what other councils and assemblies in our area are doing, please consider attending the meeting. All Knights are welcome.

• Council Cleanup rescheduled to May 16th - Due to inclement weather, we have rescheduled our annual deep cleaning of our kitchen, pantry, and outdoor cooking gear to Saturday, May 16th, starting at 9 a.m. We'll also be cleaning up outside around our building. Volunteers are absolutely needed for this critically important maintenance, to keep our building and grounds in top shape for our members, Ladies Auxiliary, guests and hall rental customers. Please lend a hand!

• We are hosting an Admission Degree on Friday, May 29th, at 7 p.m. This is Supreme's new "Exemplification of Charity, Unity and Fraternity," by which participants become Third Degree members of our Order. If you know of a Catholic gentleman wishing to join our Council, or if you are a First or Second Degree member wishing to attain full Knighthood, please speak with Grand Knight Richard Kreps or Chancellor Peter Carey. Candidates should arrive at 6 p.m. properly attired. All members are encouraged to attend in support of our newest members. Sponsors of candidates should make a special point of attending.

Council & Corporation Elections - Wednesday, June 10th

Our Council will hold elections for all eligible officer positions at our June business meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, June 10th, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Please review the Report of the Nominating Committee and Proposed Slate of Council Officers for the 2026-27 Fraternal Year, which appears below. The report explains the rules for additional nominations.

We will also be holding elections for three Home Corporation directors. Please see the report of the Corporation's Nominating Committee below.

All members in good standing of our Council are eligible to vote for Council officers and Corporation Directors. Please bring your 2026 membership card to the June meeting as proof of eligibility to vote.

Summer Kickoff BBQ & Founders' Award - Friday, May 22rd -Honoring Jim Carey!

Join us as we kick-off summer with our Eleventh Annual Founders' Day Barbecue & Trongone Award Ceremony on Friday, May 22nd!

On the menu will be burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, sausage and peppers, sliced steak, corn on the cob, baked beans, salads, desserts, and more!

Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner service starts at 6 p.m. Feel free to bring a salad, side dish, or dessert to share.

We're also continuing our fantastic PIG ROAST, which has been such a hit the past seven years! All for only $30 for adults, $10 for kids, and kids 6 and under eat free. Nobody has ever left hungry! Bring the whole family!

We do need a headcount for food purchase and planning, so please let GK Rick know if you're coming NO LATER THAN May 19th! We will have sign-up sheets for volunteers and for guests at our monthly business meeting on Wednesday, May 13th.

As is our tradition, we will be honoring a member of our Council who has provided many years of dedicated service with our Angelo R. Trongone Founders' Award.

This year, we are pleased to announce that our worthy honoree is Sir Knight James R. Carey, Sr.! Please join us as we honor Jim with our Founder's Award in recognition of his devoted service to our Council, nation, community, and parish.

Win $25,000! - 2026 C&B Drive is Under Way!

• Also Last Call for Baseball CRAZR tickets!

The 2026 NYS Council's Charitable & Benevolent (C&B) Program is under way! Get your chance books and return them with your payment right away to be eligible for all of the drawings, totaling $50,000 in prizes!

Books are $10 each with two chances per book. Our Council will receive $4.00 per book sold.

Buy 5 books ($50) or more at one time and you will be entered into a special drawing for a $100 VISA gift card!

As in years past, there will be Quick Start and Early Bird Drawings in addition to the Final Drawings. So you'll want to buy your books early to take advantage of these many additional chances to win cash prizes!

We are currently behind last year's sales pace (only 68 sold vs. 93 last year). We need to catch up!

Turn in your stubs soon because your best chance to win a prize is by getting in on the “Quick Start Drawing” on July 19th.  

Books submitted for the Quick Start Drawing will also be eligible for the Early Bird Drawing and the Final Drawing, so each ticket offers four chances to win, including the sellers' prizes!  

Our C&B Chairman, Kevin Shea, will have chance books available for pickup at the Council business meeting on Wednesday, May 13th, and you can turn in your stubs and payment to him as well. There will also books in the bin behind the bar in the Council Lounge. 

Please make your check payable to: “Knights of Columbus 6318” with $10 for each book sold (or 5 for $50). Put your money and stubs in a sealed envelope addressed to C&B Chair Kevin Shea and leave it with any Council bartender, or mail the stubs and your check (no cash, please!) to him at the following address:

Kevin Shea

59 Blair Heights

Carmel, NY 10512

If you have any questions, contact Kevin at (914) 941-2105 or by email. 

Also, this is the last call for Baseball CRAZR game tickets. Only $20 per ticket, with $5 coming back to the Council for our charitable efforts. These tickets will be in play for the first 10 games of June for the MLB teams on your ticket. Kevin will have these at the meeting as well.

Thank you for your participation and support of these important charitable efforts. And good luck in the drawings!

Sign-up for The George Dean Memorial Golf Outing on Friday, June 5th!

Putnam County Golf Course - 9 a.m. Shotgun Start

Sponsorships Available - Take one Today!

Our fantastic George Dean Memorial Annual Golf Outing will be on Friday, June 5th!

In addition to a great round of golf at Putnam County Golf Course, you'll get a delicious lunch, beverage cart, golfer SWAG, prizes, and our own sumptuous filet mignon dinner, all for only $190.

Sponsorships are available: Hole Sponsor ($150, or $100 with a foursome), Lunch Sponsor ($500); Dinner Sponsor ($750) and Platinum Sponsor ($1000). Click here to download the handbill with the reservation and sponsorship form.

Registration is 8 a.m.; shotgun start at 9 a.m. Cocktails and dinner for golfers at our Council immediately following the outing.

Prizes will be awarded for best foursome, longest drive, and closest to the pin.

This is our annual major fundraiser that enables our Council to do the many charitable, community and parish activities that we do on a regular basis. Please support this event by golfing, taking a sponsorship, donating prizes, or helping us get others to do the same.

For reservations, sponsorships, or more information, please contact Anthony Falco or GK Rick Kreps.

Putnam Heroes Memorial Cash Bingo is Sunday, May 17!

Our Ladies Auxiliary presents another fun afternoon of Cash Bingo on Sunday, May 17th.

Doors open 1 p.m.; First game is at 2 p.m.

Your $35 (if prepaid!) gets you admission and all-nighters. Extra Specials and Bell Jar tickets will be sold.

Reservations ONLY through Eventbrite. Click here to make your reservation.

Walk-ins will pay $40 at the door -- if there are any remaining seats.

All proceeds will go to fund expansion of the September 11th Putnam Heroes Memorial in Cornerstone Park in Carmel. (See below for more information on this and other fundraisers for the Heroes Memorial).

There will be a concessions table, but feel free to bring your own snacks. Complimentary coffee and tea will be available.

No persons under age 18 permitted.

Contact ladieskofc@gmail.com with questions.

Fourth Degree News

MEETING NOTICE

The next meeting of Mother Cabrini Assembly #1572 will be Thursday, May 21st, at our Council. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. All Fourth Degree Sir Knights are welcome and encouraged to attend.

NEWS

There will be a Fourth Degree Exemplification at St. Martin de Porres Church in Poughkeepsie on Saturday, June 13th. 8:00 a.m. Mass; 9:00 a.m. Registration; 10:00 a.m. Exemplification with a repast to follow. Candidate fee is $50; Assembly members and guests $30.

Applications must be fully completed and submitted to the District Master by June 7th. Please speak with Worthy GK Rick Kreps or Faithful Navigator Mike Vrabel if you are interested in receiving the honors of the highest degree of Knighthood in our Order.

• Jun. 13 (Sat): Otto Romanino Grave Marker Dedication - We will be dedicating a bronze marker bearing the Emblem of the Order at the grave of brother Sir Knight Otto Romanino at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 13th, at Raymond Hill Cemetery in Carmel. All Knights, Ladies Auxiliary, friends and family are welcome to attend this brief but important ceremony.

• Jun. 25 (Thu): Ladies Appreciation BBQ - We can use some help in the kitchen and with serving a barbecue dinner to the Ladies Auxiliary on Thursday, June 25th, starting at 7:00 p.m. This is an opportunity for our Council to show our appreciation for all that our Ladies Auxiliary does for the Council and our community. Speak with GK Rick Kreps or PGK Rob Firriolo if you're interested in helping.

• Jul. 9-11 (Thu, Fri., & Sat.): The Feast of St. James - Our annual Parish Feast returns again this summer as a three-evening event. We're pleased to announce that the rides will be back! Planning is ongoing, but this is sure to be a fun time for the entire family and it will present plenty of volunteer opportunities. More details will be announced, but save the dates and speak with our Worthy Grand Knight to find out how you can help out. We are going to need a lot of volunteers!

Remember, a full calendar of events can always be found on our website: carmelknights.org under the Upcoming Events tab. And don't forget to "like" our Facebook page for up-to-the minute announcements, photos, event listings, and items of interest.