State Deputy 2020 Organizational Meeting Remarks

Welcome to the 2020 Alabama State Council Virtual Organizational Kick-Off Meeting.

First I would like to thank the retiring officers for job well done and especially to our State Chaplin Fr Dan Good and Immediate Past State Deputy Jason Esteve for their leadership and guidance, thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of my Brother Knights for attending this Organizational Meeting. It is a great honor to be your State Deputy and I feel especially proud to know that you my Brother Knights have the confidence in me to lead the State Council.

I promise you that I will give the State nothing less than 100% of myself to ensure that we continue to grow and once again have the successes that we have had in the past. With your continuing support I know we will be successful in the future. If we remain united, there is little that we cannot accomplish even in these times. I ask for your continued support and trust and in return I will give you and the State all I can.

Please indulge me by letting me share my goals and telling you a bit on how the officers and I plan on accomplishing each one this fraternal year. They are pretty simple really.

  1. Meet membership recruitment targets set for the State of Alabama.
    I with the State Secretary, Brother Danny Garcia plan to implement council visits with a target of visiting all councils by the end of the fraternal year beginning with councils who did not recruit a single member in the last fraternal year. I plan to work to re-establish a personal working relationship with all councils. Implement a Most Valuable Council incentive program to encourage new member recruitment. Membership goals will be tracked closely and I will work closely with the Membership Director to assure that membership recruitment is progressing at an acceptable rate. I will be meeting with the State Officers on a frequent basis to make sure that we as a State meet our goals.
  2. Re-establish a recruitment culture across the State.
    On-going reminders and discussions on membership will become part of the daily jargon. The selected Membership Director, Brother Pete Parrish, is a PSD with a tremendous amount of experience as an organizer, a communicator, a motivator, and an example of how things need to be done.
  3. Improve State wide communications.
    I plan to implement bi-monthly State Officer meetings either virtually or in person to go over prepared agenda items including membership status. The State will also implement a minimum of quarterly DD meetings to address council related issues and membership progress. A communication plan will be developed and published on the State website.

I ask that you join me by supporting these goals and rededicate yourselves to a once cherished code among the men of our Great State – FAITH, OBLIGATION, and LOVE. Let us go forth to lead our councils with love, sincerely asking for His blessing and His help as we march forward to meet our obligations as men of honor.

Let me leave you with our theme for the State this coming year – Leave No Neighbor Behind, which is the same theme that Supreme is using. As Knights this particular set of words should be a rallying cry and our hearts should be moved to help our neighbors. Let all of look to help our parish priests in these difficult times by making ourselves available to them asking what they need, praying for them, and doing all the little things that mean so much. Let’s also not forget the elderly among us and look for ways to offer our support to them as well. Remember your council brother and his family who may have lost a job. Reach out to them and their families and help where you can.

Always remember that we are Catholics first and foremost and Knights of Columbus second. Think of how proud Blessed Father Michael J McGivney would is as we continue his work during these difficult times.

Vivat Jesus!!!