Knights of Columbus grateful for public generosity during pandemic

By Ed Pierce

Real generosity exists and the Windham Knights of Columbus have witnessed it in person.

Over the course of the past seven years, the Knights of Columbus have hosted the popular “Claws for a Cause” Lobster Dinner each October to assist in raising money for the Windham Food Pantry and through that event, the Knights have collected and donated on average about $2,500 to the food pantry since its inception.

But because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Knights of Columbus had to scrub this year’s annual fundraiser when the need for financial assistance for the food pantry was greater than ever.

In late October, the Knights of Columbus appealed to the public to step up and help out by contributing voluntary tax-deductible donations to the organization so that they would be able to offer some help to the food pantry.

According to Dave Spada, District Deputy and Maine Regional Training Director for the Maine State Council of the Knights of Columbus, the help they so desperately sought did indeed arrive.

Spada said that more than 100 people from throughout the Lakes Region made donations to the effort.

“The Knights had an initial goal of $2,500 and we kick-started the goal with a donation of $1,000,” he said.

Because of the significant donations coming in from the public, in November the Knights of Columbus were able to present the Windham Food Pantry with a check in the amount of $4,350, the largest private donation ever received by the food pantry to date.

“The donation enables families in need to receive food throughout the holiday season,” Spada said. We are humbled by the response from the community and we thank you for your support.

The Windham Knights of Columbus is an organization of Catholic men who lead, serve, protect and defend in the community. They share a desire to be better husbands, fathers, sons, neighbors, and role models and to put charity and community first.

The Knights of Columbus organization was founded in 1882 in Connecticut as a fraternal benefit society and remains true to its founding principles of charity, unity, and fraternity to this very day.

They remain committed to rendering mutual aid and assistance to the sick, disabled and needy members of the community and to promote intellectual fellowship through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief work.

Windham’s Knights of Columbus chapter at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church is one of more than 14,000 councils and 1.8 million members throughout America, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.

The Windham Food Pantry, 8 School Road, Windham, is open year-round to Windham residents with proof of residency. It provides food monthly to Windham residents in need of assistance.

For more information about the Windham Food Pantry, call 207-892-1907.<