All posts by Fred Struck

Hello, My name is Fred Struck. I live in Sacramento California. I am a member of St. George Melkite-Greek Catholic Church where I am know as Reader Fred. I have been the Reader at St. George's since 1988. I am also a Past Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus Sacramento Council 953.
Community, Council

Mexican Night Coming Up Fast

Are you ready for some delicious carnitas and homemade guacamole? Yes! Then please save the date Saturday, October 20 to attend the 2018 Mexican Night dinner.

Funds raised from this year’s dinner will once again be donated to Clara’s House. Council 953 is grateful for your past support of this mid-town primary health care clinic, its nurse practitioners, and the many volunteers who provide compassionate health services to the voiceless and vulnerable among us. Last year we were able to donate $2000 dollars thanks to your attendance at the 2017 Mexican Night.

Clara’s House is a nonprofit 501c3 organization funded solely by tax deductible donations and grants. The Knights appreciate how all the funds donated to Clara’s House are used to provide medical services. The volunteer staff is all unpaid allowing them to provide health care at no charge to their patients and provide basic lab tests for patients at no charge.

To find out more! Watch the YouTube video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0oQoVJTZZM.

See the October 20 Mexican Night flyer in this month’s newsletter. Call or email Greg Wolfe to make your
reservation. This event has sold out in the past.

Insurance

Knights of Columbus Insurance September 2018

Recently, I lost a dear friend of mine. He had a small life policy with another company under $180,000 in value. A small retirement fund that he was putting money into. My friend a lifelong Catholic,  Brother Knight, passed away at the age of 58. Most of us would consider this too early for the Lord to call someone home but
unfortunately we have no control over his plan for any of us. A lot of the Brother Knights I visit feel they are set. This week I had an appointment with a Brother Knight who knew about our appointment but wasn’t there. He left the entire meeting up to his wife because he had to plan out some cooking event! My time is valuable and so is yours. I set time aside from my work and family to help families plan so they do not end up in the same predicament as my friend did.

The Brother finally showed up as his wife and I concluded our meeting. She told me that he took the 50% pension option at his job. I asked her what she was planning on doing when her income drops off by 50% when he passes. There was a deer in the headlights look. She remained silent. I informed them that there are two options. One is life insurance to create pension to replace the one from his job and the other is a settlement option on his retirement funds which will provide guaranteed income with no market risk.

Keep in mind that we take on market risk when we are trying to grow our money prior to retirement. Once we are in retirement mode we want guaranteed payouts and limited or no risk as we will need those funds to get us through retirement in case the good Lord doesn’t call us home early.

In closing, my friend has four kids, two adults and two minors. His wife will reach the “blackout period” with social security survivor benefits on three of those four kids. She will receive no survivor benefits until she is 60 years old (7 years) and only benefits on one of the four kids. How do you prevent this from occurring with your
family? You take 30 minutes out of your valuable time to sit down with me and learn how the Knights will help you in a Catholic way, a way our founder would be proud of. And not leave your family destitute.

Wishing you and your family members health and happiness in the years to come.

Vivat Jesus,
Howard Tank (CA License #O117393)
Supreme Field Agent
(530) 346-3016
howard.tank@kofc.org

Grand Knight

Grand Knight’s Message, October 2017

Adam Struck, Grand KnightWorthy Brothers,

At the beginning of this Columbian Year, we set out to especially focus our attention on membership and charity this year. A quarter of the way through the year, I am proud of all our council is doing in both areas.

To date, we have welcomed eight new Brother Knights into our council, which is halfway toward our quota needed to make Star Council. Within the next few weeks, we will hold membership drives at two parishes: Holy Spirit on October 28-29 and St. Mary’s on November 4-5. We are in need of several Brothers to help at these events as we inform our fellow Catholic brethren of what we are all about as Knights and all the good we do in our parishes and out in the community. If you can help, please speak with either myself or our Membership Director, George Mills.

Two weeks ago, we hosted our annual Mexican Night. Once again, Greg Wolfe did a phenomenal job putting together an enjoyable and ultimately successful evening in which we raised $2,000 for Clara’s House. Your generosity helps Sister Kathy and her staff continue to provide medical care to the poor and uninsured in our community. In that same spirit of charity, at this week’s business meeting, we will again be passing around a sign-up sheet in an effort to put together a team of Brothers to help feed the homeless at Loaves and Fishes at least once per month. With the holiday season approaching, our charitable efforts are that much more essential.

On another note, let us keep in our prayers the victims of the massacre in Las Vegas and the recent natural disasters in Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, and Mexico. It is in times like these, when it appears that the world is spiraling out of control amid violence, disaster, and political upheaval that it is important to turn to Christ for comfort and strength. As Knights, our faith and charity are examples to the world of how to live in God’s love. Through our faith and charity, we can, as St. Ignatius of Loyola said, “Set the world on fire.”

Thank you,
Adam Struck
Grand Knight, Council 953

Church, Council

Annual Memorial Mass

Council 953’s annual Memorial Mass will be held on Sunday, November 5 at St. George Melkite-Greek Catholic Parish, 1620 Bell Street. The Divine Liturgy (Mass) will begin at 10:30 am, followed immediately by the traditional Byzantine Catholic memorial service in honor of our Brother Knights who fell asleep in the Lord during this past year: Eduardo L Maciel, Michael J Stomp and Alvin Miller. All Brother Knights and their families are encouraged to attend. Coffee and refreshments will follow in the parish hall.

Pro-Life

Culture of Life Report – October 2017

Brothers,

We are now in the midst of 40 Days for Life, which began on September 27 and runs through November 5. This is an opportunity for us to join with others worldwide in prayer, fasting, and community outreach in an effort to end the horror that is abortion. Here in Sacramento, daily prayer is being held Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm on the sidewalk in front of the Family Planning Associates abortion clinic, located at 2322 Butano Drive. For additional information, you may visit http://40daysforlife.com/sacramento.

St. John Vianney parish and Blessed Sacrament Council 5322 are hosting “The Case for Life,” an event featuring Catholic Answers apologist Trent Horn. This is being held on Friday, October 27 at St. John Vianney Parish Hall, 10497 Coloma Road in Rancho Cordova. The doors open at 5pm, and the presentation begins at 6pm. Tickets are $10 per person in advance or $15 at the door, with the proceeds benefitting the Sacramento Life Center and the St. John Vianney Respect Life Ministry. For additional information, and to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.ranchoknights.com/trent.

Insurance

Retirement Balancing Act

Think of retirement as a three-legged stool. In order to maintain balance, you need all three legs… or there is a real possibility of a crash!

One leg consists of the benefits the government offers you.  Debate rages about the viability of future benefits, and my best advice is to stay tuned to the discussion and make sure you are aware of what is planned for those benefits.  Any change in future promises should be accounted for when we get to the third leg.

The second leg is your company’s pension plan, either defined benefit (such as a traditional pension: you work so many years and the company provides you with so much monthly benefit) or defined contribution (such as the popular 401K plans).  Some of these plans, particularly traditional ones, are under stress, have been frozen or pared back.  Learn how yours works; read the plan description; stay on top of the news coming from the company.  On the 401K side, become a good investor.  Teach yourself the fundamentals of good diversification and know how much you have and when you will need it.

Finally, the third leg is the saving you do yourself, and this is the only aspect you can control completely.

Everyone needs this third leg. It consists of the money you personally set aside on a disciplined basis to help in retirement.  You don’t directly control government benefits and you don’t directly manage your company’s pension plan, but you must manage your money and your life.

Establish a retirement plan of your own. Here at the Knights of Columbus, you can open a retirement annuity for as little as $300.  Consistent and disciplined savings placed into that annuity over time can guarantee you an income that you cannot outlive at retirement. That’s right – guarantee you an income you cannot outlive.  That really will provide you with peace of mind.

As you ponder all the things that may not work out as you proceed toward retirement, think about the one thing you can do to help yourself.  It’s reasonably priced, guaranteed and controlled by someone you trust:  you!

God bless,
Philip De Leon (CA License #OK63623)
(916) 607-1645
philip.deleon@kofc.org
www.philbetterinsured.com