Bishop Thomas J. Grady Council 5618
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​Knights and Families of the Month Programs

The Knights of Columbus Knight and Family of the Month programs recognize Knights and families who exhibit strong ties of love and faith, exemplifying Catholic family values by living them every day and are making meaningful contributions to their parish and larger community. 

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Knights of the Month

Congratulations to each Knight of the Month. ​We applaud them for their strong example they set for all families in our community!

If you would like to nominate a Knight of the month, submit a 
Knight of the Month Nomination form.

Families of the Month

Congratulations to each Family of the Month. ​We applaud them for their strong example they set for all families in our community!

If you would like to nominate a Family of the Month, submit a 
Family of the Month Nomination form.  Each family should stand out as an exemplary model to others in the parish.


​May 2022:  Buddy Anderson  

Buddy Anderson, who thanks to his organization and leadership skills, did an excellent job of chairing the annual SMM Teacher's Appreciation Breakfast, which honors the talented teachers of our parish's school. Buddy is also a key cook at our Fish Fry Dinners and  he is an excellent reader at many Masses. 
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​May 2022:  The Walter family, Joe, Caroline, and sons Tyler and Jake

​Joe and Caroline are active in various ministries at SMM.  Joe was a key leader in the SMM boy scout troop. He has run a weekly online men's small prayer group for the last 3 years, discussing Sunday sermons. Joe can be counted on to help other parishioners in need. He recently helped a retired SMM nun move into an assisted living facility. He was the spark who inspired the start of our Council's Leave No Neighbors Helping Hands program. Caroline was active in the SMM parish council and helps with Youth Ministry. Both sons graduated from SMM and were active in Sunday youth ministries. The elder son, Tyler, continues to be an altar server at the Sunday 5:30pm Mass. They both were scouts. Joe and Caroline provide a real example of a family following Gods word, Gods love and being disciples who spread their faith. 
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​April 2022:  Tom Przybyla  

Tom Przybyla, who goes above and beyond the call of duty! He has served as past Grand Knight and is our current Grand Knight. He works diligently on the Pinta Log newsletter every month, he led the Fish Fry dinners, works with the Sharing Center and he is a Sacristan and a Eucharistic Minister!!
 
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​April 2022:  The Poppell family, Tom and Joyce

​Tom and Joyce are recognized for their exemplary service during our Fish Fry dinners. Both Tom and Joyce came in early on Fridays to make coleslaw and to help with other preparations for the dinners. They both stayed during the dinners, usually manning the to-go station. In addition, Tom was Tom Przybyla's backup for helping with many of the other Fish Fry activities, like coming in on Thursdays to process and store the Sysco orders.
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​March 2022:  Michael Scotchie  

Michael was responsible for acquiring the 280 t-shirts for the 2022 Laps for Life walkathon. This was not an easy task this year because we switched vendors 30 days before the event. To make matters worse, all of the sponsors' logos had to be reconstructed since the previous shirt printer would not release them. Mike's diplomatic relations with the sponsors and the printer helped produce the t-shirts on time.
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​February 2022:  Alan Blackmon  

Alan Blackmon is recognized for attending monthly Sharing Saturday at the Sharing Center events even when he was in pain before his hip replacement surgery and for supporting our Lenten Fish Fry Dinners by moving supplies and superbly washing pots/utensils and cleaning the kitchen after each dinner. 
​March 2022:  The Bowers family, John and Marsha

​John and Marsha Bowers are recognized for their dedication and service at the 6 Lenten Fish Fry dinners this year. They cheerfully bused tables offering to remove dinner items from the table when diners were finished eating. Not only did they clean the tables indoors and at the picnic tables, but they also emptied the trash cans during and after the dinners. John and Marsha also serve our church as Eucharistic Ministers.  

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​February 2022:  The Greg Nelsen Family

​Greg and Barbara Nelsen are recognized for all they do in serving the SMM parish. Greg is an exemplary Deacon, giving excellent homilies, participating with masses and funerals, leading the Cancer Support group and working with men who are studying to become Deacons. In addition to supporting and helping Greg, Barbara is the backup leader of the Sacristans and serves as a Sacristan most Sundays. 
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​January 2022:  Larry Scotchie  

Larry, we commend you for your service and leadership in the many Culture of Life events in our parish, our Council and the local community including his involvement with Laps for Life, the Baby Bottle fundraisers, March for Life and with the Life Choices Medical clinic; and for participating with our Council's small group meetings.
​January 2022:  The Van Brunt Family  

Blake and Mary Van Brunt, we commend you for leading all of the SMM sacristans, providing training and instructions to the team of sacristans and serving as sacristans for many of the Masses, and for laundering/ ironing the altar linens/towels. 
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​December 2020:  Ed Gallagher  

​We commend you for chairing the Council's Citizenship Essay and the awards Mass with the SMM School, for being a Sacristan and Eucharistic Minister, for leading Community and Youth activities for our Council, for serving as our Council's Advocate and for his involvement with RCIA.​
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​December 2020:  The McIntosh Family  

Bruce and Lisa McIntosh and their two daughters, Mary and Fiona, we commend you for your devotion.  Nominated by Tom Poppell: “They are a very devoted family. Fiona is a Lecter at the 5:30 pm mass. Mary is a student at UCF and Fiona's a senior. Both girls have volunteered at the hospital in Altamonte Springs for years and still do.”​​
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November 2020:  Les Philip  

​We recognized and commend Les for implementing and chairing a new Faith program - the Knights Small Group, for being a Sacristan and helping to train Tom Przybyla (a new Sacristan), for leading faith activities and events for our Council and with the parish as our Faith Director and for serving as our Council's Treasurer.
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​November 2020:  The Weisman Family  

David and wife Melissa Weisman were recognized for chairing and coordinating the activities for the Deceased Knights Mass and reception this year and for previous years, and for being Eucharistic Ministers.
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October 2020:  Don Holzemer

​Don was recognized during our October Council meeting for serving as our Council's Financial Secretary for over 9 years, coordinating all financials for the Orlando Laps for Life annual events and for being one of the elite Beverage Guys at our Fish Fry Dinners and Breakfasts.  He has served our parish by being a member of the Financial Council and for being a Sacristan serving at many daily and Sunday Masses. 
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October 2020:  The Eichner Family  

Ann and George Eichner were recognized for serving our parish as Eucharistic Ministers and volunteering periodically at both the Sharing Center and the Coalition for the Homeless dinners.​

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September 2020:  Dominick Fiorentino

​Dominick was commended for chairing and coordinating the 2021 Tootsie Roll Campaign, which raised $1,863 for Morningstar Catholic School! He also investigated and implemented the use of the VolunteerSignup software, which the Council is using for other event signups. 
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September 2020:  The Fiorentino Family  

Dominick, wife Patty and daughter Sarah were commended for making the 2021 Tootsie Roll Campaign a family affair by collecting donations at several shifts on Saturday and Sunday. 
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August 2020:  James Taglia

​James was recognized for coordinating and encouraging Knights participation in the Sharing Center and Life Choices fund raising gala events, the Knight’s Day and the Track, and our local 40 Days for Life prayer initiative; for successfully getting a Laps for Life article into the Columbia printed magazine, and with Les Philip, delivering 16 games of checkers and 16 games of dominoes to the vets at the VA Hospital in Lake Nona and serving dinner at the Coalition for the Homeless and sorting donated goods at the Sharing Center monthly.
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August 2020:  The Fleri Family  

Ed and Pat Fleri were recognized for their many charitable actions in supporting the poor and the needy, many of which we don’t know about, but including delivering food and money to 5 Knights families every week and frequently serving dinner at the Coalition for the Homeless and sorting donated goods at the Sharing Center.​


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July 2020:  Peter Staffieri

Peter Staffieri was commended for serving our Council as Treasurer with excellence for 8 years since July 2013.

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July 2020:  The Philip Family  

Les and Lydia Philip were commended for their dedication and service as sacristans including laundering/ironing all of the altar linens during the pandemic and for serving the parish in so many other capacities and ministries like Culture of Life. ​
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June 2020:  John Dsa

John Dsa was recognized for stepping up to coordinate monthly the Coalition for the Homeless dinners and for serving as our Council's Lecturer.
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June 2020:  The Dsa Family  

John and daughters Teresa and Diana Dsa were recognized for serving at the June Coalition for the Homeless dinner when there was a shortage of other volunteers.
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