Highlights of the Meeting: Two candidates for The Father Kelly Division were sworn and the 26 March Shamrock Degree was discussed. Changes to the calendar including the addition of new events were discussed. Progress selling the trip to Ireland Raffle tickets was announced with the drawing scheduled for St. Patrick’s Day.
The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. at the George Brent Council of the Knights of Columbus Club Room on Stonewall Road in Manassas by President Pat Sullivan.
Recitation of the opening prayer & Pledge of Allegiance:
Our Father x
Pledge of Allegiance x
Roll call of Officers for Fraternal Year 2022 (Present, Absent or Excused):
| President: | Patrick Sullivan | P |
| Vice President: | Daniel O’Leary | E |
| Treasurer: | Richard Ring | P |
| Chaplain: | Father Edouard Guilloux | E |
| Financial Secretary: | Richard Aleksy | P |
| Recording Secretary: | Michael Eggleston | P |
| Standing Committee: | Douglas Morrison | E |
| Marshall: | Gregory Murray | P |
| Sentinel: | Gregory Gibbons | E |
| Past President: | Tom Masarick | A |
After the roll call it was determined that a quorum (minimum of 15) for the meeting had been achieved.
Minutes from previous meeting, Mike Eggleston: Minutes were distributed to all members and were posted to the Division website on 27 February. No Changes have been proposed. A motion to approve the minutes was made, seconded and the members voted to approve the Minutes as posted on the Division website.
Presidents Report: Pat Sullivan presented President’s Report.
Propositions for Membership, Pete Hawkins: Pete identified two new candidates for membership: Alan Dugan and Chuck Kelleher.
Introduction of new candidates: A motion was made, seconded and all present voted unanimously to admit the candidates. President Pat Sullivan welcomed the candidates, administered the oath and accomplished the installation of candidates, Alan Dugan and Chuck Kelleher. He also recommended that they obtain the Shamrock Degree. The ceremony is scheduled for 26 March.
Reading of Communications and Correspondence: Mike Eggleston: We received two thank you notes for our contributions: one from John Hampson, of the Colonel John Fitzgerald Division for the Gaelic Mass (See Photo) and the other is from Nikki Biese, Executive Director for Biking for Babies. We also received Governor Youngkin’s Certificate of Recognition announcing Irish American Hertage Month.
Reports on:
Calendar Events/Special Reports, Pete Hawkins: Pete distributed an update to the Calendar of Events. The calendar is now on our web site. He led the discussion on calendar events that follows.
The drawing for the trip to Ireland will be done on St. Patrick’s Day at the Old Town Sports Club at 8:00 PM. Pat Sullivan will ask Father Guilloux to do the drawing. JP reported that the sale of Raffle tickets this year exceeded last year’s and anything that we have done in a very long time.
The Shamrock Degree is on 26 March at 10:00 AM in room 2 of Kelley Hall. We’ll start preparation at 9:00 AM. Those who are participating in the exemplification will be there and we need to get a good turnout of Brothers for this ceremony. We will do a rehearsal for those who have a job to do in the exemplification; date and time for that will be determined later.
The Fish Fry is scheduled for 1 April in Knight’s Hall. We need a lot of people to help out. Bring your family. We have 14 positions that need to be filled. Names are needed by 28 March. We’ll need help in the kitchen and servers. The kitchen help needs to show up by 2:00 PM and the rest by 4:00 PM. Contact Pete Hawkins for details.
The division Picnic is scheduled for 7 May but this conflicts with the Virginia State AOH Quarterly Meeting which is also scheduled for the 7th. A motion was made, seconded and the members voted to approve moving the picnic to 14 May. A sponsor is needed for the picnic and Pete will put out an email on this.
The Golf Tournament is scheduled for 6 June at Prince William Golf Course. Tickets to participate will be $100. We’ll have prizes and meals afterwards.
Special Committees:
Catholic Action, Father Edouard Guilloux: No Report.
Charities and Missions, Greg Rebbert: We had our Beer Tasting Event in February and raised $1,144. We’d like to bump that up to $1,200 and split it evenly for charities: $600 to TAPS and $600 to Able Forces. A motion was made, seconded and the members voted to approve this proposal.
Freedom for all Ireland, Dominic Preston: The situation in Ireland is that the number of Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland could exceed 80,000. A government and that’s just the Republic of Ireland. Government ministry has confirmed that Minister of State in the Department of Justice James Brown said the exodus of people from the Ukraine was on a scale not witnessed in Europe since the Second World War. An Irish citizen and journalist working as a Fox News cameraman was killed today in Ukraine. St. Patrick’s Day will be held in Dublin. Organizers have said this year’s event will be the biggest and most ambitious ever produced. The theme this year is connections and we’ll be celebrating Irish Arts, culture and heritage. It’s a two-day holiday this year.
Report on the Standing Committee/Grievance, Doug Morrison: No Report.
Historian, Mike Eggleston: Mike provided a report on the St. Patrick’s Boys.
Hunger Project, Bart Emanuel: Last year we were basically shut out from collecting in front of the supermarkets. I am hopeful that with the reduction of COVID this year that we will be allowed to collect. I would like to propose that we move collections from April to May. I think the last two weekends of May look like they’re open on our calendar. I will put that in if that is good with everybody. I will put in those two weekends with Food Lion and I will also talk to the two Giants, the one over in Wellington as well as the one across from Costco. I’ll see if we can get a date from one of them. The Food Lion unfortunately has to go through corporate whereas the Giant does not so we may have better luck with Giant.
Immigration, Rick Ring: Immigration has really stagnated due to COVID restrictions on travel. I am going to start building a report on the Irish and the Ukrainians that are going to Ireland but then tie that into what are the percentages throughout Europe and possibly the US so we’ll have that for next meeting.
Project St. Patrick, Rich Aleksy: No Report.
Publicity/Webmaster, Brian Tumulty: No Report.
Shamrock Degree: Shamrock Degree is scheduled for 26 March. All officers and brothers not taking the degree should be there.
Report on the Sick/Visitation, Bill Yochem: No Report.
Strategic Planner, Mike Riley: Mike provided an update for the Strategic Plan.
Veteran’s Affairs, Doug Morrison: Pat Sullivan presented Doug’s report on Veteran’s Affairs and discussed Audie Murphy’s wartime service and valor awards
Bills and Claims, Rich Aleksy: Liability Insurance: $136.50; Road Cleanup: $35.48; TAPS: $600; Able Forces: $600.
Financial Secretary, Rich Aleksy, Income: Dues: $144: Ireland Raffle, $2440.
Report of the Treasurer, Rick Ring provided the Report of the Treasurer.
Unfinished business: Pat Sullivan indicated that we need a recruiter and also a Pro-Life chair. Pat indicated that anyone who is interested in these two challenges should contact him. Vince Fitzpatrick indicated that the audit report has been completed but has not been signed. Vince will get the signed report.
New Business: No new business.
Good of the order: Prayer requests:
Dominic Preston indicated that his wife has completed her second chemo and has more pending. She was lucky that she got the chemo for cancer just in time. Dominic also has a cousin in Vancouver. She has stage four cancer, so things are difficult for her.
Rich Aleksy thanked everyone for their prayers for his wife. She has made good progress.
Greg Rebbert lost his uncle and requests prayers for the family.
Adjourned: The President closed the meeting with prayers for vocations and cautioned the Brothers against speaking of anything that transpired at this meeting. The President noted that the next Division Meeting is scheduled for Monday, 11 April. The President made a motion to adjourn. It was seconded and approved by those present. The meeting was adjourned at 8:34 PM.
