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Service Programs = Success of a Council

Joe Torres, Programs Director

A Knights of Columbus council can work wonders through the use of the various Service Programs as suggested by Supreme Council’s “The Surge with Service Program Manual” or the Texas State Council, “Star Guide Manual” which provides a simplified focus.

The content of both manuals is to help change the community, town, city or neighborhood in which you live.

The objective of the Texas State Council Activity Program is to encourage and assist Councils in creating a robust Service Activity Program and to provide State level recognition for the resulting efforts and good works. By no means is the intent of the State Council suggested programs to dictate to a council which programs to follow, but rather promote programs that have had proven track record of being successful and easy to implement. In order to obtain success a council by no means should limit themselves to the Star Guide suggested programs, but rather expand their resources to include everything offered by The Supreme Council. However, a council should be careful that it evaluates whatever service program it decides to implement. Remember that the suggested programs are not meant to be all inclusive and rigid, but rather flexible to allow councils to take the initial idea, modifying it and making it fit their specific situations and needs.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic, family, fraternal, service organization. This theme surrounds the entire Service Program: all Church, community, council, family, culture of life, and youth activities.
The Service Program is designed to establish each council as a major and important force within the community, elevate the status of the programming personnel, provide more a meaningful and relevant programs of action, establish direct areas of responsibility, build leadership, and ensure the success of council programs.

As follow-up to the objective of the Texas State Council Service Program, to provide state level recognition for good Council programs, the State Council acknowledges those councils at the annual convention who have submitted their “Top-tier” programs. Programs are identified and recognized in each of the following respective categories:

CHURCH - FAMILY - COMMUNITY - PRO-LIFE - COUNCIL – YOUTH

Furthermore, every council in the State is eligible for the specific Annual Service Program Award. All a council needs to do to qualify for one or several of the Programs listed above is submit a State Council Service Awards Entry Form. There needs to be one form for each activity or program submitted along with any supporting documentation. As identified during the Winter Diocesan Conference, I challenge every Council in the Great State of Texas to submit a minimal of one Service Award Entry form for their best project! Don’t know what your best project was? Give me a call and I’m sure we can come-up with a Service Award activity you can submit for your council!
It’s not too late to get something done before the Convention in Houston at the end of April! Let’s all make sure we also start working on the SP-7 Award for Star Council status. This form is due on June 30, 2012. It’s never too early to start planning now so that you can make sure everything is done by Convention time.

I hope every council is on their way to meeting Star Council status. If you need any help don’t forget to read through your “Star Guide Manual” or go the Programs section at the bottom of the tkofc web page. Please feel free to call me or any Programs Committeemen .We are here to help you succeed in your council endeavors. Thanks for all you do and May God bless you!


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