NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Knights of Columbus honored its Family of the Year and councils throughout the world with international service awards during a virtual awards ceremony at the Knights' 138th annual convention this week.  In addition to recognizing its Family of the Year, the awards recognize outstanding programs in the categories of Faith, Family, Community and Life. 

In a year of extraordinary challenges, we witnessed extraordinary achievements by our Knights of Columbus family," said K of C Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. "The work of these awardees especially stands out.  By putting their faith in action, they show how each of us can help our neighbors, serve God, and bring relief in a turbulent world."

The award categories and this year's recipients include:

Family of the Year: The Family of Jaime and Laura Morales, Cody, Wyoming
Jaime Morales, his wife Laura and their four daughters have faithfully served their parish and community in Cody, Wyoming, by providing extensive service and support to the parish, Bishop Maurice F. Burke Council 4031, and local community. They have helped minister to a growing Hispanic population in the Catholic community, starting a Cinco de Mayo fundraising dinner, planning a feast day Mass honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, and helping to incorporate La Posada into the parish Christmas celebrations.  Their pastor, Father Vernon Clark, calls the Morales family "truly one of the finest families in our parish."

Faith: St. Francis of Assisi Council 16356, Kings Bay, Georgia
The St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community, which serves the spiritual needs of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, was without a full-time priest for more than three years. To continue providing for the spiritual needs of the community in the absence of a chaplain, Council 16356 put their faith to work in service to their fellow Catholics by overseeing a weekly Eucharistic Holy Hour and a monthly Family Prayer and Movie night to bring together the community's Catholic families.  When the base received a full-time Catholic chaplain in October 2019, he was able to step into his duties immediately, thanks to the devotion of Council 16356.

Life: Blessed Mykolay Charnetsky Council 16848, Zolochiv, Ukraine
When children with special needs require help, Blessed Mykolay Charnetsky Council 16848 in Zolochiv, Ukraine, responds with the power of fraternity.  Whether it's a child with cerebral palsy in need of a walker or a family in need of life-saving medicine, Council 16848 heeds the call to serve.  One council member even traveled across Europe to purchase needed medicine in Germany for a child in Ukraine.  In total, the council provided support for 50 children with special needs during the 2019-2020 fraternal year. 

Family: Council 15672, Częstochowa, Poland
To celebrate International Women's Day in a distinctly Catholic way, Council 15672 in Częstochowa, Poland, focused on the role of women in families and consecrated all the families of their parish to the Holy Family. In March 2020, the Knights hosted a gathering for families where they reflected on the model of the Holy Family, listened to a lecture on modern day obstacles that Catholic families face, and made special time for husbands and children to celebrate their wives and mothers. The following day during Mass, families consecrated themselves to the Holy Family and a collection was taken up for a parish family that has a child with special needs.

Community: Council 5468, Campbell River, B.C.
Since 1972, Council 5468 has served the less fortunate of Campbell River, British Columbia, with their annual Christmas Hamper Fund.  Last year, the Christmas Hamper Fund collected donations from the community and provided 1,154 "hampers" filled with food and other basic necessities for families and individuals facing financial difficulties.  The council even provided toys for children and gives special attention to senior citizens and those with mobility limitations.  The Council 5468 Hamper Fund is a massive aid to those in need today.

About the Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is one of the world's leading fraternal and service organizations with 2 million members in more than 16,000 parish-based councils.  During the past year, Knights around the world donated more than 77 million service hours and $187 million for worthy causes in their communities. The organization also provides financial services to groups and individuals, resulting in more than $112 billion of life insurance in force, and through its money management firm, Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors, it invests in accord with Catholic social teachings. From helping children in need, to providing wheelchairs for the disabled, to helping stock food banks, to offering top-rated and affordable insurance products to its members, the Knights of Columbus has supported families and communities for more than 138 years.

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SOURCE Knights of Columbus