Lansing Council
# 3540
Knights of Columbus

Council History

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      Spearheading the campaign to organize a Council was a member by the name of Louis Visnack.  Working closely with him was District Deputy (DD) John Downs who had been assigned by State Deputy Dr. John T. Murphy to oversee the creation of the council. Their vision became reality, when on June 21, 1952 one hundred members signed the roster to institute and eventually a Charter was issued by the Supreme office to Lansing Council #3540.  John Downs was appointed the first DD for the Lansing Council. 

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            Once the rolls were signed, and new members initiated, an election of officers for the new Council was held.  Because of his extreme interest in forming the Council, Louis Visnack was elected the Charter Grand Knight.  Other elected council officers were;

 

                        Benjamin Cannon, Deputy Grand Knight

                        Walter Trock, Jr. Chancellor

                        Irvin H. Neltner, Recorder

                        Stanley Rzonca, Treasurer

                        Edward Sullivan, Advocate

                        Julius Schoettle, Warden

                        C. Christian, Inside Guard

                        George Hawley, Outside Guard

                        J. Carroll, Thad Ludwa and Vincent Koefelda, Trustees

                        John Wozny, Lecturer

                        Fr. Bellerive was appointed Council Chaplain

                        Richard Mauch, Financial Secretary.

 

          The Solid foundation laid by those who were instrumental in founding the Council has continued through 46 Grand Knights and the Council Officers through these sixty years have made Lansing Council what it is today.  The Lansing Council has seen a steady growth in membership to where it numbers in excel of 480 members.  While space does not permit listing all of the Charter members, many of their names are included in the roster of past Grand Knights.  Their interest and service to this council has earned our lasting gratitude.

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          In the early years of the council, the officers and members witnessed an expanding population and development of the community.  They visualized some of the problems that would arise, especially in the area of recreational facilities for the Youth of Lansing.  With the same zeal that inspired these men to form the Council, they began to lay plans to develop a recreational area.  To best accomplish this project, a K C Youth Foundation was formed and chartered by the State of Illinois on October 6, 1954.

 

          Once chartered, the officers and members purchased 22 acres of land with a lake, but that was only the beginning.  The recreational facilities had to be developed, and much work had to be done.  Again these members met the challenge with the same driving spirit.  Work progressed and they saw their dream become reality with the Grand Opening of the Lansing K C Youth foundation building on April 26, 1958.

 

          This was only the beginning and work continued with the planting of; grass, trees, the laying out of baseball and football fields, erection of a picnic pavilion and the stocking of the lake of fish. Each of these projects took time, but the members never lost sight of looking for ways to improve and beautify their facilities.

 

          Over the years two additions have been made to enlarge the K C Youth Foundation Building.  In 1961, an addition was added to the south side of the building which included the Walnut room.  In 1976 an addition was made on the west side.  This addition increased the size of the Walnut room, with an office, new washrooms, a new entrance, and a storage room (which eventually turned into the current Lounge).  The name of the Walnut room was changed to the Columbian Room. 

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          Today our spacious grounds and beauty are most visiting council’s envy.  It is no wonder that Brother Knights from other councils have referred to the Lansing Council as the “Country Club Council”. This is certainly a tribute to those dedicated members who shared their dreams, ideas, plans and hard work to make the Lansing Council a living memorial for our Council, our order and our Community.  This is just one example of what can be done by a dedicated organization founded on the principles of CHARITY, UNITY, FRATERNITY and PATRIOTISM.  To these dedicated men, we give our sincere gratitude.

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          The fourth Degree has always been an integral part of the Council.  These members having received the highest degree of the Order have not only chaired various committees but have always been ready to serve in the Honor Guard for the Hierarchy of the Church and at religious functions.  They are also on call to appear in Civic parades and to stand guard at wakes for a Sir Knights who has passed away.  As a fitting tribute to one of their fallen members, a chalice in his name is presented to a Priest or parish to be used in offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 

          

         Many Council members’ wives became interested in the work that their husbands were doing for the Council and the Youth Foundation.  These ladies decided to form their own organization in 1963 and are known as the Columbian Ladies.  Their objective is to promote social ability among their members and to assist in promoting the welfare of the Council.  As a council, we are thankful for untiring efforts, dedication and continued assistance, in the establishment of the Columbian ladies.

 

         Over the past sixty years, two new youth organizations were formed; for the young Catholic Men a Squire Circle known as Lansing Circle #2595 and chartered in April, 1976.  In September, 1976, the Squirettes were formed for the Young Women.  Both of these groups are under the guidance of counselors appointed by the Grand Knight for the squires and by the President of the Columbian Ladies for the Squirettes. Unfortunately due to the lack of interest of the youth, both organizations were disbanded in 1986.

 

          Due to severe economic shortfalls which faced the council in the 1990's, the officers and members decided in March, 2005 to sell a majority of our existing 22 acres of land including the lake to the current owners Gardant Management company/dba St. Anthony of Lansing Assisted living.

 

          As changes have taken place in our society and in the world has so has the order. With the passage of the 2014 Supreme Resolution # 340, the Supreme Knight at that time has asked every council using facilities owned by a home corporation to, "....undertake a serious assessment of how that relationship supports the council in its fulfillment of the core mission of the Knights of Columbus."

 

          The Supreme Knight further explained, "Each and every council using facilities owned by a home association should, as soon as practicable, enter into the contractual agreements required in a resolution adopted by the Supreme Council as listed above."

 

          This resolution which is now in effect requires that all councils with home corporations to have a new Charitable Use Distribution agreement. The Lansing council # 3540 in 2016 now has an executed agreement in place with the Columbian Club of Lansing, to keep the council meetings here at Kasey's for decades to come.

 

          In our Seventy-second year of existence, we cannot have made it this far without the help of the following Past Grand Knights:

 

1952-53 Louis Visnack

1953-54 Benjamin Cannon

1954-57 Chester W. Martin

1957-58 Dr. Joseph Murphy

1958-60 Stanley W. Lennon

1960-61 George L. McNamara

1961-62 Joseph E. Zmija

1962-63 Paul Suter and Chester W. Martin

1963-64 Clem Gargula

1964-65 John J. Gulotta

1965-66 Emil Sterbenc

1966-67 William E. McCarthy

1967-68 Chester J. Simmons

1968-69 Robert L. Knoerzer

1969-70 John A. Haney

1970-71 William A. Becker

1971-73 Charles D. Yates

1973-74 Edward M. Olejnik

1974-76 John Barran

1976-78 Edward R. Rosinski

1978-79 Edward F. Prystalski

1979-80 Frank Bukowski

1980-81 Walter G. Jonassen

1981-82 James T. Fill

1982-83 Joseph M. Kopf

1983-84 Al Mitchell

1984-85 Peter Briscoe

1985-86 Michael Melko

1986-87 John Calcitrai

1987-88 Joseph Matlon

1988-89 Al Torres

1989-90 Dan Bukowski

1990-91 Jerome Wayman

1991-93 Robert P. Blake

1993-95 James Bender

1995-96 Don Szala

1996-97 Joseph S. Blake

1997-99 William Linz

1999-00 Robert Fredrick

2000-02 Ken Cuprisin

2002-03 Howard Morrison

2003-05 Peter Marx

2005-07 Michael Murphy

2007-09 Rich Czarnecki

2009-11 Brian Fisher

2011-12 Bob Layne

2013-14 Michael Wysocki

2014-15 Dom Ramierz

2015-17 Matthew Martinez

2017-19 Chris Siatta

2019-21 Michael Kabala

2021-23 Roger Tyderek, Jr.,

2023 William Benne