* * * BREAKING NEWS * * *
Important News From Around Your Council!
There's so much going on with our busy and active council, that we're sending you this newsletter to keep you up to date! Within this newsletter you'll find out about:
  • Building repairs & parking disruption starting Wednesday, 9/28; volunteer help is needed!
  • Our new council road sign on Route 6.
  • First and Second Degree Exemplifications on Thursday, 9/29.
  • Columbus Day Parade and pasta lunch on Saturday, 10/1.
  • Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, 10/8.
  • Ladies Auxiliary Designer Pocketbook Bingo on Saturday, 10/15.
  • Annual Dinner Dance and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, 11/5.
  • Mohegan Sun Casino Excursion on Saturday, 11/12.

Details below, so please read on!

Critical Construction Advisory - Your Help Needed

Our council building is in urgent need of sewer repair and we will begin work on a repair project on Wednesday morning, September 28. From this time until the project is complete, there will be no parking in the driveway next to our building, connecting Fair Street to the county parking lot.  The driveway will be closed to traffic. Please use the Sheriff's Department entrance further down Fair Street and park behind our building.

While the actual plumbing work is being performed by Cassidy Plumbing, we need volunteers to help with the excavation, backfill and cleanup. Volunteers should arrive Thursday morning by 9 a.m. to help with excavation, or help out in any other way that you can think of. We will be removing the pavement, digging down to the sewer, and protecting the excavation so the plumbers can do their work. So please bring a sledge hammer, pick, pry bar, shovel, wheelbarrow, and other equipment you may have suitable to this kind of work.

We hope to be able to backfill and protect the area by no later than Sunday evening, so volunteers for backfilling and cleanup will be needed toward the end of the project as well. Watch for a call-out when we're ready for that.
 
We expect to be able to reopen the driveway by Monday, October 2, and will reopen sooner if we can. However, we cannot be sure how long the project will take until after we break ground and more fully assess the situation. We ask for your patience and cooperation while this critical infrastructure project is underway.
 
Please contact Anthony Falco at (914) 907-4802 or by email for more on info when and how you can help.

New Road Sign Proudly Announces Our Council's Presence in Carmel!

Observant motorists entering the Town of Carmel may have noticed that there is a new sign next to the "Welcome to Carmel" sign on Route 6, as you are going up the hill past Belden Road. Thanks to a donation from PGK John Adams, and the handywork of Warden Mike O'Brien and Chancellor Ralph Fleischman, a new 24x24-inch reflective highway sign announces our council's presence to drivers and riders entering the Hamlet of Carmel. This sign joins the two other council signs, which are located on the way into town on Fair Street and Stoneleigh Avenue.
First and Second Degrees This Thursday

Our council is hosting First and Second Degree Exemplifications this Thursday evening, September 29th. Candidates should arrive by 6:30 p.m. properly dressed and bring their dues payment.

The First Degree will begin promptly at 7 p.m., and the Second Degree will follow immediately thereafter. Food and refreshments will follow the degrees.

All sponsors of candidates are expected to do their best to attend. All members should make an effort to attend in support of our newest members.
Columbus Day Parade and Luncheon This Saturday

Join us as we honor the patron of our Order, Christopher Columbus, along with the contributions of Italian-Americans to our nation, as we march in the annual Putnam County Columbus Day Parade in Mahopac on Saturday, October 1st. Note that this year the parade is on Saturday morning instead of Sunday afternoon!

This is a family event, so bring along your family to march, and wear a KofC shirt or jacket. We will march proudly behind our council banner, just as we do for St. Patrick's Day. A strong turnout is important, so please march!

Lineup for the parade will be at 9:30 a.m., with the parade stepping-off at 10:30 a.m. Please arrive at our council by no later than 9 a.m. if you wish to carpool over to the lineup area from our council. This is a Color Corps call-out.

We will be serving a free pasta and meatball lunch at our council immediately after the parade. Members, families, and guests are all welcome!

If you can donate a tray or two of prepared meatballs, baked ziti, lasagna or even just meat sauce, please deliver them to the council by Friday night. We also need a few volunteers to work in the kitchen during the parade so that everything will be ready to serve upon the marchers' return. Please contact GK Rob or DGK Steve if you can donate food or work in the kitchen on Saturday morning. If you've never helped out with a council event before, this is a great (and easy!) way to start by joining our glorious and distinguished Kitchen Krew!

Our council is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the event journal, which may be found here. Our ad appears on page 85.
Oktoberfest Is Here!

Join us for another good old fashioned Oktoberfest celebration, with traditional German live music from the Austrian Boys Band, German food, German beer, contests, and more!

If you've been to one of these before, you know just how much fun they are. It will leave you saying, "wunderbar!"

Admission is $15, with $5 discounts for seniors and kids under 12.

Contact Mike Bock (646-335-6576) or John Adams (845-216-6030) for reservations and more information. Then dust off your tirolerhut, lederhosen and dirndl, and get ready to join in fun!
Ladies Auxiliary Designer Pocketbook Bingo!

Our Ladies Auxiliary is offering another funtastic chance to try your luck at winning a designer bag with bingo on Saturday, October 15th! All funds raised go to local charities!

The fun starts when the doors open at 5:45 p.m., followed by reading of the house rules at 7:00 p.m., and the first game starting promptly at 7:15 p.m.

Your payment of $50 includes your admission, 2 specials, door prize ticket, dauber, and tote. Coffee, tea and cake will be served.

All players must be prepaid by October 5th. For payment details or questions, please email the Ladies, or speak with Gail Silke or any of the Ladies Auxiliary officers.
45th ANNUAL DINNER DANCE & AWARDS CEREMONY
Reserve now and order your Souvenir Journal Advertisement today!

Join us for our 45th Anniversary Annual Dinner Dance and Awards Ceremony. Fine dining, LIVE MUSIC, dancing, raffles, and recognition of our members who do so much to make our council so special.

We are holding this event in the St. James school gymnasium so we have plenty of room to spread out, dance, and host the band. We've even heard about a possibility of karaoke! (Just think of the possibilities!) 

This year's event promises to be a ton of fun, so get in your reservation today! RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST!

The night includes a cocktail hour with plenty of hot hors d’oeuvres, a great catered buffet dinner, and delicious desserts & coffee. Cash bar after the cocktail hour.

Raffles ♦ Live Band ♦ Dancing ♦ Awards Ceremony ♦ Souvenir Journal

$65 each or $120 per couple*
Reservations required by October 28th
(*$75 each / $150 per couple after 10/28, including at the door)

Contact GK Rob or speak with any council officer to make your reservations.

And don't forget to please place your ad in our souvenir journal today. Advertise your business or congratulate our award winners. Please download this order form and send it with your payment to PGK Jonathan Garcia ASAP. 
Mohegan Sun Casino Excursion

Hop aboard for our Mario Antoci Memorial Mohegan Sun Casino Excursion on Saturday, November 12th!

For only $40, you get transportation, a six-hour stay at the casino, $15 lunch voucher, and $10 casino match play. 

We'll start with coffee and donuts at the council at 7 a.m. Then the bus will leave our council at 8:00 a.m. sharp. Adult beverages served on the bus, but feel free to bring your own beverages as well.

We've done these in the past, and they have been nothing but great fun! We expect to sell-out again, so reserve today and don't miss out!

YOU MUST BE PREPAID BY November 1, 2016.

For information and reservations, please call PGK Bobby Palazzo at (845) 216-1997.
Whew!

We realize that's a lot of news, but that's a tribute to our members -- and especially our volunteers -- who make all of this possible.

Remember, all of this information may be found on our website -- carmelknights.org -- as well as through our Facebook page. (Please "Like" us!) You can even sync our Council's Google calendar to your personal calendar on your smartphone or computer. Instructions are on our home page and Upcoming Events page.

Finally, we consider feedback to be a gift. So please let us know if you have any suggestions, comments or questions.

VIVAT JESUS!
For news, our calendar of upcoming events, and information on membership, our council, and contacts, please visit our website: carmelknights.org .