The Knights of Columbus of Saint John the Evangelist honored four US Veterans at the 6th Annual Independence Celebration. There was a packed Ballroom, filled with a sea of red, white, and blue, all of whom came to show their appreciation for the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms as Americans. The pouring rain did not stop anyone from attending, including our friends from St. Agnes.
Our Parish Family was treated to a full night of patriotic activities, starting with the Naples High School JROTC, led by LTC Paul Garrah, US Army, Ret. After their rousing Drill Team and Drum Line Exhibition, our guest speaker, Gary McClain, provided his passionate description of integrity as well as his efforts for the Military Archdiocese on behalf of the Knights of Columbus. While 25% of the military identifies as Catholic, there are only 200 active Catholic Chaplins in our armed forces. There is a significant need.
The honorees of this years celebration then came forward and we were able to honor men from both World War II and Korea for their service. It was incredibly special that Father Bob Kantor, who was a Military Chaplin, happened to have a special medal given to him for D-Day service, and he was able to pin it on one of our honorees. The night ended with music and dancing as we all celebrated together. We all thank the Knights who dedicated so much of their time to putting together this wonderful event. God Bless the USA!
