February-2025-Newsletter
Pathway of Hope Receives Ultrasound Machine
Twenty years ago, Pathway of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center first opened its doors in Central City in Muhlenberg County, with the desire to give hope to young pregnant women who found themselves in what seemed like a potentially hopeless situation. They provided support and help with obtaining clothing and food for the newborns, as well as helping to arrange medical assistance where needed.
In the years since that opening, Pathway of Hope has grown in size and services. They are currently in their fourth location, an ADA compliant building in Greenville near the hospital, and have served nearly 2,000 clients, now providing Pregnancy Options Counseling, Peer Counseling, Pregnancy Loss Counseling, Adoption Plan Assistance, Post Abortion Counseling, and many other services. They also provide abstinence until marriage education for clients, public and private schools, churches, as well as groups and organizations. The Center is 100% supported through donations and provides all services free of charge.
In their need to continue to support expectant mothers, Pathway of Hope Director Diana Anderson reached out to the Knights of Columbus to help them begin providing ultrasound services. The Fr. Joseph O’Donnell Council of Beaver Dam and Morgantown gladly took up this challenge. The local Council worked to get approval from the Diocese of Owensboro, and from the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus to begin fundraising efforts to provide a new ultrasound machine.
When the need became evident to other Knights of Columbus Councils across Western Kentucky, checks began pouring in. Seven other Knights of Columbus Councils and one Fourth Degree Assembly sent donations to assist in purchasing the ultrasound equipment needed. Donations also came in from several individuals, and from the Pickin’ Life Project, which raises funds to support four pregnancy resource centers in Western Kentucky.
On Tuesday, October 8, the ultrasound equipment was delivered; on Monday, October 14, the staff at Pathway of Hope began training on the use of the new machine, and on January 15, 2025, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the ultrasound machine at the Pathway of Hope facility. Representatives from the Muhlenberg County Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus Council, State Representative Rebecca Raymer, Judge Executive Mack McGehee, Pathway of Hope staff and board members as well as many community supporters witnessed the ribbon-cutting and an actual ultrasound of expectant mother and baby. Deacon Don Adams, St. Joseph Parish, Central City, was on-hand to bless the new machine, as well as the expectant mother.
Many thanks to all who worked fundraising efforts, to Councils and individuals who donated, and to the Supreme Council for providing resources in such a needed and worthy program.
Happy 30th Anniversary!
Chartered in December 1994, St John St Francis Council 11470 in Georgetown, KY celebrated it’s 30 years of service to the St John and St Francis parishes, the local communities of Scott County and the Knights of Columbus. The evening was filled with food, fun and fellowship. GK Jeff Crump and PGK Dcn Tim Stout did a wonderful job of keeping the evening on track and entertaining. Council Chaplain Fr. Linh Nguyen provide us with a beautiful reflection on what it means to be a member of the Knights of Columbus and a Catholic Gentleman.
A special thank you to SD Luke Williams and his wife Pam. SS Dick Burns and his wife Suzanne, ST Gary Dykuis, and SW John Staudt & his wife Deanna, WES Mike Rinehart and IPSD Tom Johnson & his wife Janet for making time to celebrate this momentous occasion.
The council also took a moment to recognize IPSD Tom Johnson for his years of service to Council 11470 and to the State Council.
A Voice for the Unborn
K of C St. Teresa Council 2282 led a march and prayer service to be a voice for the unborn
Despite a week of record low temperatures across the nation for much of the week, with snowstorms hitting beachfronts across the Gulf Coast, the Knights of Columbus St. Teresa Council 2282 in Brandenburg kept the needle of their compass focused on true north as they walked in solidarity among community members to be a voice for the unborn. Upon the 52nd anniversary of the historic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision, the Knights realized there is still work to be done for the legal protection of the unborn. Although the temperature on the morning of Wednesday, Jan 22nd hovered right around 2 to 3 degrees, fortune smiled on the convoy as afternoon temperatures peaked right around 26 degrees for the walkers.
The pro-life group gathered at St. John’s Catholic Church in Brandenburg at 4 pm, and after a quick welcome, route brief, and blessing by St. John’s pastor and Worthy Council Chaplain, Father Michael Martin, the group headed out the church doors, crossed the street at Broadway, and headed due south on the sidewalk towards the Safe Haven Baby Box (SHBB) located at the Gerald A. Lynn EMS Building. With gloves, hats, and winter coats donned to protect against the breezy weather conditions, the true warmth came from the compassion and love shared by those on the walk as they prayed together, carried pro-life signs and American flags, and gratefully waved back to passersby who offered a supportive honk from their car horns.
Once they arrived at their destination in front of the EMS Building after a one-mile trek, the group gathered with those who drove in vehicles due to the cold conditions. After a quick briefing on the history of the SHHB program and a discussion on some of the legal options given to a mother and the child upon surrender, the group offered a prayer for the continual safety of human beings still within their mother’s womb. Before closing out their brief time in front of the building, great news came from one of the employees inside the EMS Building who informed the group that the SHHB had passed all of its required testing, and following an official blessing to occur on Monday, Feb 24th at 1 pm in front of the EMS Building, the box will be ready for use for a mother who may need to surrender a newborn baby of up to 30 days old. The public is encouraged to come out for the ceremony.
Heading back up Old Ekron Road, the group continued their prayers and conversations as they made their way back into the warmth of St. John’s. Those who participated were asked for a donation of diapers and pull-ups to support Clarity Solutions Pregnancy Support Center in Elizabethtown. Following the walk, a prayer service for the unborn and the protection of all human life, from conception to natural death, which included a Rosary Prayer and Adoration was offered by Father Martin inside the church. This event is one that the St. Teresa Knights of Columbus hope to support annually to bring awareness to the gift of human life, especially for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Madisonville Safe Haven Baby Box
The Knights of Columbus Father Glen Council #11132 in Madisonville, Kentucky associated with Christ The King Church provided at least a fourth of the funds that secured our community’s Safe Haven Baby Box. We worked in conjunction with Door of Hope Pregnancy Care Center, which is the crisis pregnancy center that we support in this community as well as five other pregnancy centers in our area.
This obviously was a community effort, not only members of the community supplying money but also working with the city mayor and the fire department to ensure proper installation and proper use of the equipment provided by the Safe Haven Baby Box company from Indiana.
Who is the coordinated effort of the community those who are pro-life and anti-abortion who made this happen? It was not just one person or one organization.
James Donley, Grand Knight
Four New Members
Council 14372, Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary in Lexington, welcomed four new brothers on January 15th as they completed their exemplification to become 3rd degree Knights prior to our monthly meeting.
Will Schnurr, Grand Knight
