We have held an annual fund drive to send amputees home for Christmas. These are men and women patients at Ft. Bragg and Camp Lejeune hospitals. This is a joint effort of the Knights of the Fourth Degree of the DeSoto Province and the Military Order of the Purple Heart (a 501c3 charity), which matches our collection.
How did we do? Did we make a difference? The assembly received donations at both St. Thomas More and Holy Cross Churches. Chapel Hill parishioners donated $1,700 and our knights at Holy Cross Church collected $1,100, for a total project collection of $2,800.
Past State Deputy Robert Singer shared this year’s results with us. He said, “2014 has been the most successful year we have experienced, with a total donations, as of today of $92,537. This brings our total since we started in 2006 to over $600,000.
In August I was asked to come to the National Meeting of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. At that time I received a large plaque for having collected over $500,000, 1/2 million dollars.
I continue traveling to Florida each year as they are very generous, with so many of the Knights in Florida are retired Military Officers, with a very good pension. I see an increase from nearly every Council or Assembly that donates to this fund.”
Bob Singer summed up his report with, “All of the Wounded Warriors have already been given their checks for their trip home. A very happy bunch of military personal.”
Like links in a chain and threads in a rope, we link and bond together to serve others. That is the mission of our order and our duty as Catholic gentlemen.
We thank the parishes of St. Thomas More and Holy Cross churches for their generosity this year and pray that they will continue to support this very important program.
Learn more about this project, and/or Contact the project chairman to make a donation.