2023 - 2024

Steve, Andrea, Josephine, & Marian Petras

The Petras family attends Blessed Sacrament Church.

Steve is part of the KOVAR Fundraising Team. He worked numerous hours at both Admirals Hockey and Tides Baseball games to raise money for KOVAR. He participated in over 30 games. He solicits donations outside various Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) stores.

Steve serves on the Parish Council, Building and Grounds committee, and is an usher at the 11 a.m. Mass. He organizes the volunteers for the church cooking activities.

Andrea is part of the Blessed Sacrament Church office staff and is their photographer, organizes many church functions throughout the year.

Josephine is an alter server, participates in "Life Teen". She babysits for RCIA participants with young children during their meeting. She helped her father at State Convention Hospitality room and at the Scope’s Patriotic Festival.

Marian is an alter server and is a member of "Edge".

Both daughters participate on an Irish dance team.

Congratulations to our Family of the Year, Steve, Andrea, Josephine, & Marian Petras as our 2022-2023 Family of the Year.

2022 - 2023

Kent, Michellle, Alden, & Payton Rhodes

This family exemplifies a key principle of our order - charity. This family provided the dunk tank for the KOVAR fund raiser at the last council picnic, which raised approximately $875. When the 2021 Polar Plunge was canceled, Council 367 decided to perform an ice bucket challenge. This family led the council in raising funds for the challenge. The wife even volunteered her husband and son to take part in the challenge. The husband is a Sacred Heart Soup Kitchen Team Captain. He leads a team of volunteers that procures donations/food; and produces hot, hearty, and healthy meals for approximately 75 homeless folks once per month. During the peak of the pandemic, he was instrumental in converting the serve from an "eat in" lunch to a box lunch, ensuring that the homeless people were able to obtain meals. Furthermore, Kent ensures that his volunteer crew maintains a safe and clean cook space.

As a knight, the husband volunteered for the Treasurer position. He has done an outstanding job working with the FS to ensure that the Council assets have been well accounted for. When a quick turn-around VCKKI grant was received by the council, Kent coordinated with the FS and GK to ensure the beneficiary had the funds to pay her rent and have a grocery store gift card for food. The husband and their two children serve as ushers at mass at least twice per month. The wife teaches catechism to the youth in the parish. The son was the captain of the Maury High School lacrosse team. The daughter is a student at the Governor’s School for the Arts for ballet. On Saturday mornings, she volunteers her time teaching dance to intellectually disabled youth and adults at Todd Rosenlieb Dance studio in Norfolk.

This family is active in the council, the local community, and at Sacred Heart. They serve as positive role-model, following what Pope Benedict XVI said about volunteering in November 2011: “we also become visible instruments of his love in a world that still profoundly yearns for that love amid the poverty, loneliness, marginalization and ignorance that we see all around us.” They are willing to work enthusiastically with others to ensure a positive outcome for any event they volunteer for. Please join me in congratulating Kent, Michelle, Alden, and Payton Rhodes as the Family of the Year.

2020 - 2021

John & Marion Person, PGK

This family consistently contributes hours of service to make the Council a well-run organization. Their devotion and leadership have been unwavering.

They both helped in the kitchen as they’ve prepared & served dinners for the Friday Night Drive Thru dinners, we held during the COVID pandemic. The money made helped support our charities and operational costs to keep us going during this very difficult time. She also made the desserts for the dinners. He also played Santa Claus during our Breakfast with Santa.

They spearheaded the Coats for Family Drive for the Council the last four years as she shops year around at thrift stores and yard sales collecting winter coats for needy children. This year was their most successful as they had over 940 items of clothing to be given away at two different drives. They both support the TIDES baseball games that provides much needed revenue for both the Council and Columbus Club.

They helped during our Blood drives and donated their blood along with silently protesting against abortion for the unborn in front of Planned Parenthood. They handed out tootsie rolls to raise money to assist the intellectual disabled in our KOVAR drive.

They assisted with Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team (NEST) helping serve meals to homeless persons. They are both Extraordinary Ministers and help clean their church on a weekly basis.
She is also heavily involved with the Council’s “Leave No Neighbor Behind” as she shops and delivers food to people that request our help and he helped with the Christ the King golf tournaments to raise money for our charities and Christ the King schools.

They assisted in assembling the Food Baskets to be given out for Thanksgiving and Christmas and helped deliver some of them.

He spends many hours as the Council and Assembly newsletter Editor while she assists him picking up the newsletters and helps mail them out to the people requesting paper copies. He also manages and updates our Council website and Facebook page.

He spends numerous hours as the Columbus Club Treasurer ensuring the bills are paid to keep this building operating.

Norfolk Council 367, The First Council in the South, is proud to announce our Family of the Year, PGK John and Marion Person.

2019 - 2020

PGK Jim & Linda Pressler

The Family of the Year for Council 367 is PGK Jim and Linda Pressler. They distinguished themselves throughout the entire year as the most active and productive family in the Council. Specifically:

- As the Degree Team Captain, PGK Pressler successfully completed four First Degree and two Second Degree Ceremonies during the fraternal year. His efforts directly resulted in 21 new Knights being inducted into the Council and advancing through the ranks.

- As the Round Table Coordinator at Blessed Sacrament Church, PGK Pressler coordinated numerous activities to include a highly successful pancake breakfast that resulted in us recruiting several new Knights. He also executed a very well received Family of the Month program that recognized the accomplishments of parishioners at Blessed Sacrament Church.

- As Extraordinary Ecuminical Ministers, both PGK Jim and his wife Linda tirelessly served the parish throughout the year. They set the example for servant leadership at the parish.

- As the Keep Christ in Christmas Card sales coordinator, PGK Jim astutely led the effort to evangelize the Catholic faith by selling Christmas cards to parishioners. Along with the coordinators at two other parishes, he was able to lead the Council in fundraising to support a seminarian.

- As the Ladies Auxiliary President, Linda Pressler spearheaded the effort to resurrect the program for the Council. She coordinated a series of Friday Night Social dinner events that were the most successful in Council history. She relentlessly worked to prepare delicious and sumptuous meals for all to enjoy. Her efforts directly contributed to improved fraternal unity within the Council.

- Participated in every Council fundraising event during the fraternal year directly supporting KOVAR, VKCCI, and Special Olympics. PGK Pressler's tireless devotion to the Council directly helped to ensure one of the best years for charity within the Council.

PGK Jim and Linda Pressler set the example for Family of the Year. Their combined efforts to support the Council and the Knights of Columbus were tremendous and highly distinguished. Their tireless work during the year made them a very worthy selection for Family of the Year.

2018 - 2019

PGK John & Marion Person

This family consistently contributes hours of service to make the Council a well-run organization. Before and since his very successful year as Grand Knight, their devotion and leadership have been unwavering.

They both can be found in the kitchen as they’ve prepared & served dinners for the Friday Night Socials, Lenten Fish Fries and Shrimp Dinners. She also ensures there’s some type of dessert at all functions.

They have spearheaded the Coats for Kids Drive for the Council the last three years as she shops year around at thrift stores and yard sales collecting winter coats for needy children. They both support the TIDES baseball games that provides much needed revenue for both the Council and Columbus Club. For the last three years, they have both been in the top four in working games.

They assisted with Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team (NEST) helping serve meals to homeless persons each night at three different parishes. They are both Extraordinary Ministers, members of the Legion of Mary, and help clean their church on a weekly basis. She is a member of the St Pius X Pastoral Care Committee where she visits residents at local nursing homes and provides and serves food for funerals.

They assisted in assembling the Food Baskets to be given out for Thanksgiving and Christmas and helped with the Norfolk Public School Luncheon where we served lunch to over 250 intellectual disabled youths.

He spends many hours as the Council and Assembly newsletter Editor while she assists him picking up the newsletters and helps mail them out to the people requesting paper copies. He also manages and updates our Council website and Facebook page.

He spends numerous hours as the Columbus Club Treasurer ensuring the bills are paid to keep this building operating.

Norfolk Council 367, The First Council in the South, is proud to announce our Family of the Year, PGK John and Marion Person.

2017 - 2018

Peter, Rose, Austin, Nathan, Brianna Laurin

This Brother is a leader for Life Teen and Edge youth groups at St Pius X Church. He and his wife dedicate time to these important programs every week and travel to events each year for DYC and NCYC. His wife Rose is a Life Teen Core Parent. He is an active member in the Parish Men's Club, the Liturgy Committee and “Why of Your Heart” Committee. He assists in leading the "Walk through the Mass" a program to assist adults learn more in depth details of the main parts of the Mass. He and his 2 sons are ushers each weekend and his sons are also Eucharistic Ministers. Their oldest son, Austin, is a Life Teen Core Adult Member and their younger son, Nathan, is a Running with Jesus Retreat Leader and a member of Life Teen. Their Daughter, Brianna, is a lector at church and is also active in Life Teen and Edge Youth Groups.

The Family helps with the weeklong Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team for the homeless during the cold winter months and is the chairman of the summer carnival at St Pius X raising thousands of dollars to support the church and allowing hundreds of families in the community to come and enjoy games, rides and quality family time.

They helped with youth fundraiser at the Council where the kids raised over $200 to help with their trip to Youth Conferences. Their family participates in many of the events at the Council. He routinely participates in Degree Ceremonies as Aid to the Banner Bearer and Aid to the Warden. He volunteered to be the bartender at our annual Thanksgiving week-end Oyster Roast and routinely helps set up, cooks, and clean up at our Fabulous Family Breakfast. The family supports these events as well.

This family is involved with many events at the Council and contributes greatly to their parish. Their willingness to chair or assist an event and involve the whole family is a testament to their faith. They are the Catholic Family to emulate, continuously contributing to the celebration of the Mass, the growth of not only their children, but to all of the youth of their Parish, and assisting the Pastor and other families whenever they are asked. They always seek opportunities to include the youth in the life of the Parish and school fundraisers to ensure the financial growth for both. It is my distinct pleasure to announce the Family of the Year for Fraternal year 2017-2018 as Peter, Rose, Austin, Nathan and Brianna Laurin.

2016 - 2017

Todd & Sonia Womack children Ian & Jacqueline

To select the Family of the Year, you have to look how much support both parents, and if they have younger children, what they contribute to the Council and our events, how involved they are with their Parish and it’s events, and what they do to make our community a better place to live.

This family is fairly new to the council but has stepped up to support many of our Council’s various events and takes an active part in their Parish.

-They have volunteered to cook a couple of very delicious meals for our Friday Night Socials and when not cooking them, they’re usually here supporting them.

-She volunteers at her parish in the RCIA class and also helps or runs the Parish’s various club fundraisers.

-He volunteers as a Scout Leader within their parish and community.

-He and his son came in early Friday morning before the Oyster Roast and helped clean the grounds around the building to make it more presentable to our guest, which included the State Deputy and his wife.

-He and his son also came in the night before to help set up the 3rd degree Exemplification where he was an active participant to move up to full Knighthood.

-Their daughter volunteered to be our Altar Server during our Memorial Mass and is also an Altar Server at their Parish.

-He ensures all the food is bought and helps cook for the Fabulous Family Breakfast as his son has helped with the clean up after the breakfast. She and her daughter are usually here supporting the breakfast.

- When the Council needed one more Insurance Owner for the Founder’s Award and to help make STAR Council, they bought an annuity to ensure our quota.

-He has also helped with the Lenten Fish Fries, Lenten Shrimp Dinner, Oyster Roast, NEST program, KOVAR, and the TIDES baseball games as the family has help support by attending these different events.

-He was one of our first Brother Knights to join our Council last July to help us reach the McGivney Award for membership ensuring our STAR council status.

-For service to our country, he is an active duty Master Chief and she is a retired Chief in the United States Navy.

-When the Chancellor position was vacated twice due to sickness and death, he was asked to take on the Chancellor position which is two years away from being a Grand Knight. Due to his maturity, leadership, and the zeal to move this Council forward were factors attributed to me asking him to take on this position.

It is my pleasure to announce Norfolk Council 367, “The First Council in the South” Family of the Year Award for Fraternal Year 2016 – 2017 to Brother Todd & Sonia Womack and son Ian & daughter Jacqueline.