GREENSBORO — At an exemplification ceremony earlier this year at St. Pius X Church’s Simmons Center, 18 Knights of Father Francis Connolly Assembly 3253 were elevated to “Sir” Knight, the highest rank in the Knights of Columbus.
Additionally, this gathering of Knights from throughout the North Carolina district chose as exemplification honoree their own Sir Knight Walter A. Kulla Jr. for his lifetime service to the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Church which it serves.
The Assembly, led by Faithful Navigator John Joyce, welcomes the participation of these new fourth-degree Knights: Daniel Allen, Nicholas Bursche, Daniel Curran Jr., John Donohue, Walter Edwards, Dominick Freda, Kurt Gabriel, Desmond Morrissey, Rafael Arvelo, Charles Cheney, Sean Duffy, Dominick Fillippa, Dominick Freda, Mark Garland, Phillipe Lian, Scott Richter, Joseph Stachly and Samuel Waters.
— Photo provided by John Russell
GREENSBORO — Piedmont Council 939 of the Knights of Columbus hosted its Emergency Responders Awards Dinner in March, continuing a long tradition dating back to 1973. Thirty-eight people representing the four services and nearly 80 Knights and wives were in attendance. Honored in 2019 for their service were:
Greensboro Police Dept.: Sgt. Mike Overman, introduced by Capt. Jon Franks
Greensboro Fire Dept.: Engineer Arthur E. Dunkel Jr., introduced by Capt. Scott Kilpatrick
Guilford County Sheriff’s Dept.: Deputy Christopher O’Bryant, introduced by Capt. Hall and Sheriff Danny Rodgers
Guilford County EMS: Katie Lynch, introduced by Scott O’Connor
This year the Knights introduced an award in memory of fallen officer Jared William Franks. This was presented to Officer Jared’s parents, Capt. Jon Franks and his wife Karyn. This presentation brought home the reason for their program of recognizing these people, who put their lives on the line every time they report to work.
The Knights had an added pleasure of hearing the poem “Unsung Heroes,” by Mary Eastwood, sharing a good message about appreciating these professionals who protect their community every day.
— Photos provided by Tom Thompson
