WAUPUN — Knights of Columbus John C. Burke Council 4897 celebrated their 65th anniversary as an organization for the greater Waupun area last Saturday, September 20.
At 4PM, they held Mass at Annunciation Church in Fox Lake. At 6PM, they held a dinner at Go-Dutch Solutions in Waupun, which included a presentation on the history of the council and entertainment.
Andy Steinhauer gave the presentation as one of the organization’s long-time members. Steinhauer had been a Grand Knight for the Waupun Council in the 1990s and currently serves as financial secretary for the organization.
The presentation covered the history of the organization, including many of its historically prominent members throughout the decades—starting from when the organization was founded on February 7, 1960.
One member pointed out was former Waupun Correctional Institution Warden John C. Burke, who the organization was later named after. Burke was a founding member and Grand Knight in the early years of the Council, and the Warden’s House on Watertown St was a popular picnic spot for the members in those years.
Steinhauer also discussed the many values of the organization, including charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism—as well as the activities to promote them. The Waupun Knights of Columbus have donated more than $1 million to local community and religious organizations and charities, along with many charitable food and item drives for local food pantries.
The Waupun Knights of Columbus are perhaps best known for holding the annual Lenten Fish Fry at St. Joseph Parish Center, across N Division St from St Joseph’s Catholic Church. The annual Fish Fry has been going on for more than 55 years.
The presentation ended with a list of all former Knights of Columbus members who have since passed on.
Grand Knight Michael Stahowiak then presented the Family of the Year award, which depicts Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary with baby Jesus, to the Paul Ramirez family. Andy Andy Steinhauer also named Al Pobanz as the Knight of the Year posthumously, as he passed last December. The award was presented to his wife Jeanne Pobanz, who will place it next to his urn. Both awards are “traveling trophies” and are to be presented to the next winners the following year.
Following the presentation and awards was a raffle and music.
Congratulations Council 4897 on 65 years of promoting charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism!
