Look there’s a bright star in Far East Texas

If you travel to Far East Texas to the town of Texarkana…you may be surprised. It’s known for several historical sites (Ace of Clubs House, Perot Theater, the US Post Office divided by the Texas & Arkansas state line, Wright Patman Lake, Texarkana College and several more!), but what’s remarkable is how the small group of men called Knights of Columbus have made an impact on what can best be described as “good will toward men”.

Each year the Texarkana Knights engage with their Church and Community to quietly make a difference. One of the more recent achievements used an offer to match funds from Knights of Columbus Supreme to purchase a mobile Sonogram machine for First Choice Pregnancy Center. This is one of the many “quiet” successes that the Knights in Far East Texas are responsible for.

Quietly these Knights make a difference by hosting the Annual Easter Egg Hunt for the Parish, providing three $1000.00 Scholarships and a Graduation Breakfast for High School and College students, and supporting the Saint Vincent DePaul organization, by picking up Diapers, delivering and helping store them is another example of providing “good will toward men”.

For the past 50 years, every Thursday night, Knights offer those with Special Needs a place to come in a social setting to dance to a DJ or a live band free of charge. At Christmas a special visit from Santa, offering free pizza and soft drinks with a small gift fills the house. Feeding the homeless on a routine basis at Randy Sam’s homeless shelter keeps the Knights grounded and humble.

These Knights are an integral part of The Sacred Heart Parish who counts on the Knights to support cooking for Vacation Bible School, the Seminarians fish fry (requested by Father Braun), the Parish Picnic, the Fall Festival, the Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration, as well as the “hey you” we need a hand over here requests. You’ll also find Knights at every Mass, as servers, Eucharistic Ministers, as Deacons, as Ushers, or serving donuts after the mass at the social.

Knights support the community Walk for Life programs, Saint Jude telethon, Special Olympics, Four State Youth Flyer (aviation exposure program), Rosary Makers, Tunnels for Towers, Wagons for Veterans, Project Rachel, the Gabriel Project, Sisters of Charity, and Prison Ministries, just to name a few.

Knights are always involved in carrying the Canopy for Holy Thursday, Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration, offering the Patriotic Rosary, exchanging the Silver Rose, and supporting the Priests as requested. During Lent you’ll find the Knights offering a Friday Fish Fry in keeping with our Catholic Faith.

All this support takes time and money. That’s where the pull pork Fundraiser and Gun Raffle come in to play along with “Keep Christ in Christmas”& “He has Risen” Easter buttons and car magnets. Like our money says “in God we trust”, and Texarkana Knights support the Relief effort in Ukraine, the Now and Forever capital campaign and many other request to support Catholic Christian Activities.

So next time you travel to Far East Texas and you’ll be glad to know and see the difference the Knights of Columbus Council 1003 and Assembly 2719 have made to make our world a better place to live. What appears to be a bright star in far east Texas is rumored to be from the smiles of the faces helped by those men called Knights.