Communicate - above all else - both internally and externally. Make sure your council or assembly appoints a public relations director.
Make sure that your members understand the organization's mission statement - and that a large part of the public relations director is to help bring that mission statement to life in the community
Develop a communications plan. This is one of the most important jobs of the public relations director. Once written, distribute to each council or assembly officer. Make copies available for the general membership. Use the Kentucky State communications plan as a starting point.
Prepare a media kit and collateral materials. When events and activities are scheduled, you will be ready with press releases, fact sheets, collateral piece on the Knights of Columbus and any other reading material that will allow any lay person to understand the Knights of Columbus and what we do.
Generate media and community lists. Investigate the local media; get to know the media contact people. Send them a letter of introduction and ask for a one-on-one meeting. Investigate high-profile community and state leaders and do the same with them. The more you know these people, the better stories you will get written about the Knights and your council or assembly.
Gather a group of volunteers for your council or assembly who are willing to make presentations about your programs or activities. Remember the name of the game is visibility. This is so much more easily accomplished when you brother Knights helping you get the word out. Make sure those you recruit are comfortable in unfamiliar speaking settings and could handle a speaking engagement at a moment's notice.
Enlist the help of the council or assembly officers.
Outline your methods of internal and external communications tools: e.g., newsletters, Web site, public service announcements (PSAs) in print, radio and television. This should lead you right back to your plan.
Measure your success. Give yourself a reasonable timeline to see if all of your efforts have paid off. Pay attention especially to the most apparent results - things like membership and retention - that are a result of your work.

During the past year, your Kentucky State News-gram editor and webmaster has been hard at work modernizing the State website, putting out the monthly newsletter, and submitting items to Supreme. Some of the changes include a new look for the website, lots of additions, an upgrade of the World-Wide directory and the International Alliance of Catholic Knights sites and a lot more. Making all of this work out right requires the input of lots of brother Knights across the state. Send in your stories, your accomplishments, pictures, and announcements concerning upcoming events. Together, we’ll do our best to get the word out.

Your brother in Christ,
Gary L. Thomson, Public Relations/Webmaster

History Program

When we publish the minutes to our council meetings we are continuing the history of our order.  We make history when we publish our newsletters, write letters, take pictures, and file council program reports.  Our goal is to collect and store these records for future generations.

Our next history book will be more accurate.   Data accumulation will be easier that our past efforts.  Good records make good history.

Robert N. Hood, PSD
History Chairman

"The Knights' Web"©