Knights and Families of the Year
The Knights of Columbus Knight and Family of the Year program recognizes 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.
Family of the Year: 2023 - 2024
Jim and Cathy Bucko
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Jim and Cathy Bucko are long time members at Saint Mary Magdalen Church.
Jim is a Worthy Brother Knight, currently studying to become a Deacon, and organizes weekly Rosary prayer gatherings at the SMM grotto. Jim regularly lectors for Mass and volunteers at Fish Fry dinners as well as other events. Cathy was a beloved teachers assistant at SMM school for many years and all their children went through the school. The Buckos host married, unmarried and dating couples events. They additionally mentor engaged couples preparing to get married in the church. Our parish community is greatly blessed by their lives! |
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Knight of the Year: 2023 - 2024
Alan Blackmon
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Alan has been a very dedicated and committed Knight this past year. He has participated in most, if not all our Council events, always helping to set up, clean and to return supplies to our storage room (when most everyone else has already left). Alan does not know the word 'no'.
Alan increased his level of assistance at the Fish Fry dinners, assisted with veterans in need, volunteered at Helping Hands projects, and more. This follows the pattern of lifelong service he has shown over the decades. He is a strong example of a continuously involved Worthy Brother Knight! |
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Family of the Year: 2022 - 2023
Mary Ann and Larry Scotchie
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Mary Ann and Larry believe family starts at home so they host all the monthly family gatherings (they believe if you feed them, they will come). In addition, Mary Ann regularly takes meals to her invalid son. Mary Ann is the primary baker for the Scotchie family bakery when she is not doing school pickup for her grandson. She loves to volunteer as a counselor at Life Choices Women's Center and occasionally "walks with a mom" where she coaches a new mom on how to raise a child. Currently she is mentoring Ling, a Chinese national visiting the USA who found herself alone, pregnant and unprepared to care for a child.
Larry and Mary Ann are both active in the SMM Culture of Life ministry. They lead a small group called "Helpers of God's Precious Infants" that pray the rosary every Thursday at the abortion facility on Maitland Avenue. When her CCW circle disbanded, Mary Ann kept the group together, now called the Serendipity Girls, with monthly socials at her house. Larry is still active in the annual K of C Laps for Life (ultrasound) fundraiser which he founded while he was diocesan coordinator for pro-life activities for the Florida State Knights of Columbus. He is a member of the Men's Club as well, and has volunteered at the Sharing Center with other Knights. His son Michael procures the Laps4Life T-shirts every year. Another son, Dan, provides delicious custom cakes for the Knight's social activities. Larry and Mary Ann are Eucharistic Ministers who brought the eucharist to residents of the Life Center before the Covid pandemic, and look forward to when that ministry will resume. Congratulations to the Family of the Year. We applaud them for their strong example they set for all families in our community! |
Knight of the Year: 2022 - 2023
Tom Przybyla
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Tom Przybyla has been a prolific servant-leader inside and outside the Knights of Columbus. Beyond his leadership as Grand Knight for four years, Tom has served the council as program director, chairman of several service committees, coordinated Vocation Fundraisers for three years, managed annual Lenten Fish Fry dinners, served as webmaster for the Council Web site, produced the monthly Pinta Log newsletter, directly participated in regular parish and community charitable events - to name just a few. He has further served the liturgical needs of Saint Mary Magdalen as a reverent sacristan.
Tom’s steadfast devotion as leader and servant to the Bishop Grady Council 5618 and parish of Saint Mary Magdalen cannot be overstated. He has unwaveringly paved the way, through nurturing word and deed, for an abiding legacy of Grace, through the obedience of service in Christ Jesus, to the Worthy Brothers of Council 5618, the parish of Saint Mary Magdalen, and the overarching community. Congratulations to the Knight of the Year. We applaud him for the strong example he sets for all Knghts in our Council! |
Family of the Year: 2021 - 2022
Les and Lydia Philip
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Les and Lydia were nominated for Family of the month in July for their dedication and service as sacristans including laundering/ironing all of the altar linens during the pandemic and continuing to the present. They both serve on the Respect Life ministry and coordinate activities between the parish and pro-life organizations. They are active with Eucharistic Adoration. They have been active participants with several parish evangelistic programs and spiritual training courses held by the parish. They are on the board of Life Choices Medical Clinic, coordinating activities with the parish. They are involved with participating with 40 Days for Life and praying events at the abortion center.
Les started and leads a Knights Small Group. As Faith Director of our Council, he writes personal and informative articles for our council's monthly newsletters. He sends emails that invite and encourage Knights to read religious articles, view videos and participate in religious activities throughout the year. He became Treasurer of our Council in July. Les was a leader of this year's Lenten Fish Fry Dinners, helping with the ordering of food and supplies for all 6 weekly dinners. Both Les and Lydia participated with the preparation and serving of the food at the dinners. Les and Lydia Philip are a holy family, living their lives as Jesus commands us. They are good Catholics who are active in their individual prayer lives, their church, community and Knights of Columbus council. Whatever they participate in, they become leaders and role models for others who observe their actions and who have an opportunity to become involved with them. They inspire others through their actions, their words and the love they share with everyone who is blessed to know them. Congratulations to the Family of the Year. We applaud them for their strong example they set for all families in our community! |
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Knight of the Year: 2021 - 2022
James Taglia
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James has been our Council's Life Director for several years. He is very active in encouraging Knights to participate in Life events, especially Marches for Life in St Augustine, 40 Days for Life, Laps for Life and supporting fund raising activities for Life Choices Medical Clinic and Pro-Life Action Ministries.
He creates informative and motivating articles for the Council's monthly newsletters and sends email messages to promote upcoming events. Earlier this year he took some courses to learn about Human Trafficking and started to educate the Knights on this topic. James has led the Central Florida Laps for Life event for several years. Through his leadership, the event has grown each year. Laps for Life events are celebrating 9 years of fundraising for ultrasound machines, having helped placed over 40 machines at qualified Pregnancy Centers and Clinics. James visits local Knights councils to raise awareness and solicit participation in the annual Laps for Life fundraising event. He coordinates with Bishop Moore High School staff and local businesses to get involved and become sponsors on the day of the event. This year’s event in March had over 220 participants raising over $94,000, with almost $20,000 coming from our Council. Both of these amounts were new records. He is a regular volunteer at the monthly Knight's Sharing Center event to help sort donated goods which the center uses to sell in their retail store to raise funds for the needy and homeless in Seminole County. He is also a volunteer at the monthly Coalition for the Homeless dinners. James leadership skills with all Life activities and events makes him a role model for others who observe his actions and successes. He motivates others to get involved and to participate with activities. His actions, words and the love of Christ inspires others to act. The extraordinary success of the Laps for Life event is a classic example of the fruits of his labors. Congratulations to the Knight of the Year. We applaud him for the strong example he sets for all Knghts in our Council! |
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