Brother Knights All,

Texas is off to a great two month start.  Actually its' best two month start in membership in the last (12) years.

As of 9-1-07, we have taken in 644 new Knights, lost 154 for a net of 490.  That's really good.   We are ahead of last year's 9-1-06 in recruitment by 79 and have 51 less suspensions year to date.

We have to continue this pace.  Example last week, Tuesday, we crossed the 87,000 mark in total membership.  BUT we had a really good week.  Last week we brought in 125 new Knights lost only 4 to suspensions for a net of 121.  It' really doesn't get much better than that.    Out of the 121 net members we had net / net gain of 107, which is absolutely fantastic.  We now currently stand at 87,084 in membership for Texas.

What does this mean.  We it's hard to predict new membership.  Hard to actually control suspensions and predict deaths transfers and withdrawals.  But just a play with numbers based on the two previous month.  As stated above we brought in 79 more new members in the first tow months than last year.  Let's say this average (2) month increase stays the same for the remainder of the year.   So we take 79 and multiply by 6 you get 474 more new members than last year in recruitment.   AND if you take what we recruited last year 4,667 and add the projected 474 increase you get, 5,141 OR Texas's best year yet.  Which as we have already proven certainly is possible.  Now how do we continue?  We have to keep a doing what we've been doing.  Recruit and have first degrees.   BUT we can help and do better in a couple of areas.  One being round tables.   We have (84) recorded round tables to date this fraternal year.  Our goal is 250.  We have to make that happen.  But more importantly we have to see that the round tables do what they have been created for.  First, have a presence of Columbainism in a church or mission where no council has been formed.  Second, recruit for that parish or mission.  I think we haven't done that very well.   We do the paperwork and leave it at that.  This year in our October and or March Blitz.   PLEASE make sure that the round table coordinator or whoever, also blitzes in that round table parish or mission.   The mother council parish should be blitzing BUT so should her round tables.  A round table should be able to bring in new members from its parish and or mission to support the mother council if you will.   Can you imagine if we had 250 round tables in place by October and or March and they DID do a blitz drive and brought in a total of 2, 3 or whatever for the mother council?  Our recruitment #'s would rise dramatically.  Please get with your District Deputies and Councils and make sure we try to make this happen and follow up on ALL our prospects.

Also new councils and council reactivations are critical to our growth.  We have started our second new council but still have only one reactivation.  Please make every effort to work in your local areas and expand Columbianism or bring it back.

Charities is off to another great start.  We already have (99) quick starts councils and have taken in 19.27% of our overall state goal or $156,574.48.  Please work with all your councils to get heir charity goal money in and reach 100% of their goal.

The Marion Prayer Program for Our Lady of Charity is being scheduled as we speak.  Icons and prayer related items will be arriving soon.  Please make sure every council participates in this program.   We will be distributing 500 wheel chairs to local Dallas VA on November 9, 2007 with the transfer of the Silver Rose from Oklahoma to Texas on the 10th.

Finally continue to work with our education and training team for trainig sessions as needed.  PLEASE get with your councils and make sure their 185s' have been sent in and more importantly their 365s.   The most current lists of councils not submitting their 185s' and 365s' are posted on our stet web site.

Remember our goals for this year. Star Council.  Star District.   Star TEXAS.

Please share this with message your District Deputies and councils.

Thanks for all ya do.  Remember.  "Every day counts and each knight matters."

Larry & Susan Zapalac - State Deputy