Saint Gerald Catholic Church

Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids

What is Coats for Kids?
The Knights of Columbus strongly believe that no child should have to fight off the cold of winter without a decent coat.

How does it work?
The Knights provide kids with brand new high quality coats ($20 per coat) that are shipped to our local council in boxes of 12. Our council has already purchased the first 6 cases and 72 coats are on their way! We have reached out to administrators within St. Gerald School and Ralston Public Schools to arrange distribution through the schools. Since 2018 together, we have raised over $60,000 and given away over 2,700 coats!

When will this happen?
September 16-17 and 23-24, 2023! For details on how to donate via the collection basket at church, by mail, by Paypal, or by Venmo, please read this flyer.

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Welcome to the web page of the Knights of Columbus Council #9518 of St. Gerald Catholic Church in Ralston, Nebraska. We invite all practicing Catholic men of our parish age 18 and older to join our ranks and take a more active role in their faith.

To keep up with the latest information from our council, please visit our Facebook page. For general information about the Knights of Columbus, please visit the Knights of Columbus website.

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Council Meetings

Generally, our council meets the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. We start our meetings with either a mass or communion service in the 96th & Q Street adoration chapel. All members are invited to attend our general meeting.

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Our Council's Activities year to date 2023...

Faith Activities

• Donated $500 each to four parish seminarians (May)
• Participated in parish-wide Corpus Christi procession (June)
• Held 3 Corporate Communion and Family Rosaries for Knights, families and friends (5th Sunday of the month)

Family Activities

• Coordinated 3 parish-wide food drives benefiting Tri-City Food Pantry and Catholic Charities (quarterly)
• Held a successful parish-wide Clergy Appreciation Dinner (January)
• Hosted annual Valentine Dinner for Knights and “Sweethearts” (February)
• Participated financially and materially in Ordination Dinner for Deacon Dan Buck (May)
Hosted annual Knight’s Family Picnic (June)

Community Activities

• Served 6 parish-wide Lenten Fish Dinners (Lent)
• Awarded $6,500 in high school scholarships to St. Gerald students (April)
• Co-Sponsored the Fr. William A. Foster Golf Tournament with proceeds to the Fr. Foster Endowment Fund (May)
• Participated in the Ralston Independence Day Parade (July)
• Sponsored a Red Cross Blood Drive (Juner)

Life Activities

• Collected $943 in our annual Buck-A-Month campaign with proceeds to Bethlehem House (January)
• Collected and donated $5,248 to the Knights of Columbus One Rose, One Life Campaign (January)
• Participated in Mother’s Day Rose Sale donation $2,000 to Essential Pregnancy Service (May)

Other Activities

• Donated over $5,300 to various other church and community charities, i.e. KVSS Spirit Catholic Radio, FOCUS Campus Missionaries, Nebraskans Embracing Life, Omaha National Cemetery, Ralston Police Department, St. Gerald School and St. Gerald Parish Mission.

As always, thank you for your continued participation and financial support!

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About Our Council

Council #9518 was chartered in 1987 and is named after Fr. William A. Foster. We are affiliated with St. Gerald Parish in Ralston and many other organizations within the Ralston & Omaha metro area. We started our Council with 46 charter members with the first Chaplain being Fr. William A. Foster and the first Grand Knight, Jim McNamara. Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism are the cornerstones of our Order which focuses on active involvement by our members in the areas of church, community, council, family and youth.

There are over 2,600 families at St. Gerald Parish. We currently have a nice mix of younger and more seasoned members which has given our council a wonderful balance of energy and character. With all the Family, Youth, Service, Parish, and Community Activities that we sponsor every year we believe there are many reasons to join Council #9518.

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About the Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus offers men a place to lead their families and communities in faith and service and put their Faith into Action. Knights of Columbus members, parishes and families have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference through 32 Supreme Council-recommended programs.

Organized into Faith, Family, Community and Life categories, the Faith in Action program model empowers Knights to come together to share faith, celebrate fraternity with loved ones, and do what they do best - stand shoulder to shoulder in service to the community and to defend life at all stages and in every condition.

Grow in faith and build a strong parish and Church. Aid priests and religious in formation, honor Mary, mother of God, and engage in serious spiritual reflections and religious education activities.

Strengthen families through faith and service. Socialize and pray with other faith-filled Catholic families through special events, religious services and volunteer opportunities.

Make a powerful difference in your community. Help those less fortunate with the basic human needs of clothing, shelter, mobility and compassion.

Create a culture of life. Assist pregnant women in need, care for the elderly, aid the handicapped and empower those with special needs to realize their full potential.

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