Summer will be here soon and the pool opening is just around the corner!  The Knights of Columbus swimming pool will open on Saturday, May 26th to kickoff the 2012 Memorial Day weekend. The fees this year will be as follows:

• K of C Family: $90.00
• St. Joseph Parishioners (Family) $175.00
• Guest of members: $3.00 per guest / per visit

Pool Hours 2012: Tuesday thru Sunday 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Closed Mondays) Times subject to change.  Click the link below to print out the pool registration form.  Registration forms and payments can be mailed to:

2012 Pool Registration Form

At our March council meeting, Rick Stapleton with the “Conway Firefighters Pipes & Drums” spoke to our members about the band they have assembled.  Rick explained that their band started as a way to honor fallen firefighters, but soon grew to honor servicemen & women,  police, as well as playing at other events locally and around the state.

Rick said it is their desire to expand their band to include additional bagpipe and drum players, but explained the costs involved in outfitting just one person with bagpipes and their traditional attire is very expensive.

Our council decided to reach out and seek donations from anyone that would like to assist this group with their fund raising.  If you would like to help, please click on the “Donation” button below and your contribution will be processed using our payment processor, Paypal.  If you would rather make a contribution by check, the band’s mailing address is located at the bottom of this article.

Below is additional information about the band.

“The mission of The Conway Firefighters Pipes and Drums shall be the promotion of the playing of the Highland bagpipe and its music and tradition through the teaching and playing of the Highland bagpipe and Highland pipe-band style drumming, as well as to support the efforts of the fire service by performing at events such as parades, funerals, ceremonies, civic, social gatherings, and other fire service functions. The organization will accomplish these goals by training and performing as a bagpipe and drum band. We also want to honor our men and women who have served in any branch of our US military by playing for welcome home celebrations, retirements, and funerals. The purpose of playing for any police or fire line of duty death funeral is to honor those civil servants who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the cities they serve so faithfully.

Firefighter Memorial Tartan Kilt
This tartan was designed as a salute to firefighters, everywhere in the world, who are ready to sacrifice their lives everyday for the protection of others. It was also designed to memorialize those firefighters who have already made the ultimate sacrifice.
- The red background of the tartan represents fire and the fire trucks.
- The black is in remembrance of those who have already made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
- The green and gold represent the Irish community which has such strong ties with the organization and occupation of fire fighting.
- And lastly, the three red lines in the middle of each square are: 3 red threads, 4 red threads, and 3 red threads – representing the 343 FDNY firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11/2001 – the largest amount of fire fighters who ever perished in a single day in the history of the United States.

Conway Firefighters Pipes & Drums is also “for hire” for weddings, parties, funerals. Please call Rick Stapleton @ 501-472-2581 with questions or to book them.  You can also look up “Conway Firefighters Pipes and Drums” on Facebook and “like” them for updates.   Their mailing address is:

PO Box 1472
Conway AR 72033

The Knights of Columbus Lenten fish fry “All You Can Eat“ buffet dinners start Friday, February 24th and will run through Friday, March 30th.  Meals are served at the Conway Knights of Columbus Hall.

Meals will be served from 5:30pm until 8:00pm.

Menu Includes :

• Adults $12.00 (take outs $10.00)
• Senior Citizens $10.00
• Kids (6-12 years old) $6.00
• Kids 5 & under eat FREE

Come out and enjoy a great meal while visiting with old friends and making new friends!

Brother Knights,

Grand Knight Jim Pollock always says, “It’s good to be a Knight!”  I can concur.

Recently our parish experienced the tragic loss of 7 year old, Abby Robbins.  I personally was afforded the opportunity to get to know that sweet little girl.

In 2009 she bought a single ticket for the St. Joseph’s Bazaar raffle of the “Pork Chop Palace”, which was donated for the event by several local businesses.  As the story goes, she told several people, “I’m gonna win that playhouse!”  She was even overheard praying, “God, if some other little kid needs it more that’s okay, but I really do want it.”

Well, as God would have it, she won the playhouse.

I was recently asked by Sharon Cowin, Abby’s aunt, to arrange the donation of that playhouse to the St. Joseph Primary School.  After some repairs were made, for which our council donated the materials, I made some phone calls.

I contacted Rod Harrison about moving the playhouse from its location on Lake Conway to the school.  Once again, Rod came through.  He contacted Jim Strack, who arranged to have the playhouse moved and placed at the school, which was no simple feat!  Kudos to Jim Strack and all involved with the transport and placement of the playhouse.

Abby’s house now sits at the St. Joseph Primary School for children to enjoy for years to come.  The next time you drive down Harkrider to mass, take a look at the red and white playhouse sitting proudly inside the fence.  As you do, say a prayer for Abby.  That’s all I ask.

This is why I also say, “It’s good to be a Knight!”

Thank you to all those involved,

Chris Bergschneider
3rd Degree Member
Council 4143

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Our annual “John Hambuchen Memorial Hog Roast & Dance” is scheduled for Saturday, April 14th.  Proceeds from this event will benefit St. Joseph Church Community Assistance, St. Joseph Tuition Assistance and Trey Hickey.

The event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus & the St. Joseph Alumni Association.

$20.00 Single – $35.00 Couple.  Price includes a fabulous dinner, drinks & dancing!

Take out meals available from 5:00 til 6:00 ($8.00 each)

ANYONE OVER 21 WELCOME

Music by “Sharpe Dunaway“

8:00pm til Midnight

For more information, call Robert Massery @ 501-327-6860.  Tickets available from Mary Kordsmeier at St. Joseph Public Relations Office and also at the door.

Please come out and enjoy some great food and a fun evening while supporting some very worthy causes!

Council 4143 in Conway recently held our annual banquet honoring each of the Knights and families that had been selected throughout 2011 as Knight & family of the month.  This is a very special event because it showcases many of our council’s Knights and families who have been recognized each month throughout the past year by a vote of their peers.

All guests were treated to a delicious steak & chicken dinner along with side dishes, that was cooked by several of our fellow Knights.  A LOT of planning, preparation and work went into this dinner and it really showed!

The family of the year for 2011 is the Matt Elsinger family!  Matt and wife Jackie have 6 children: Jeremy, Nathan, Brandi, Joanie, Mason & Mattie.  The Elsingers will represent our council at the state convention held in Rogers, April 26th through the 29th.  Congratulations to the Elsinger family!

The Knight of the year for 2011 is Chris Hoyt.  Chris and wife Mary have 2 children: Davis & Riley.  Chris & family will represent our council at the upcoming state convention in April.  Congratulations to Chris & his family for being selected as our Knight of the year!

Many thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s banquet a resounding success!  If we tried to name everyone who helped, we’d surely miss someone.  It was truely a team effort and a great opportunity to gather with fellow Knights and their families.

Click Here for pictures from the event.

1st Degree to be held February 7, 2011

Our Council will host a 1st Degree Exemplification during our regular meeting Tuesday, February 7th.

If you know of practicing Catholic men, 18 and older, that would like to join our Order, please contact Membership Chair, Mike Sartain as soon as possible.

(Candidates should arrive at KC Centennial Hall no later than 7:00pm, Tuesday, February 7th)

Mike Sartain, Membership Chair

(501) 472-3280

email: sartain.mike@gmail.com

The first of two Conway Signs has been completed.  Coming from the south into Conway just before mile marker 129 a huge “Conway City of Colleges” sign can be seen from I-40.  The sign is privately funded with the help of many individuals, businesses and 5 civic groups.  The Knights of Columbus was contacted last year and was asked if we would be interested in having our emblem placed on the sign.   This opportunity was discussed under “New Business” and passed at one of the monthly meetings.

The Knights of Columbus was later contacted about placing a time capsule in the sign.    An email was sent to Mrs. Susie Freyaldenhoven about gathering some items from St. Joseph to place in the time capsule.  The items placed were a Bulldog “beanie baby”, a Rosary blessed by the Pope, an Arkansas Catholic newspaper, St. Joseph Bazaar newspaper ad, a St. Joseph church bulletin and a few other items.  These items were placed in a PVC tube and placed at the very top of the sign inside the “City of Colleges” concrete block.

Plans have been made and construction should begin soon for a second sign on the North end of Conway.

Below is C.E.R.T training information for the month of December, 2011.

Here is a link for the C.E.R.T. application form

For additional information, please contact David Jedlicka at dave.jedlicka@kofcconway.com or fill out the contact form with the information you’re looking for.

CERT Training Schedule for December.
Monday 12-5-11 Registration and classes 6P – 9P.
Tuesday 12-6-11 Small Fire Suppression  6P – 9P.
Thursday 12-8-11 Disaster Medical Ops.  6P – 9P.
Monday 12-12-11 Light Search and Rescue 6P – 9P.
Thursday 12-15-11 Terrorism and CERT       6P – 9P.
Saturday 12-17-11 Final Exercise and Credentialing 9:00 AM – 12:00PM

Instructor: Dirk Sutterfield / Shelia Maxwell

Training Location OEM – 57 Acklin Gap Road; Conway, Arkansas Contact Dave Jedlicka for Application form to Participate.