John Wainscott reappointed to international board

Photo courtesy of John Wainscott

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SALT LAKE CITY – Supreme Director John Wainscottwas recently re-elected to his third and last term on the Knights of Columbus International Board of Directors. “When I first became a Knight, I had no idea how much closer it would bring me and my family to God,” said Wainscott, a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish.

A Knight can only serve on the board for nine years unless he is a Supreme Knight officer and the international board appoints those positions. Wainscott is the first Knight from Utah’s council since its beginning 106 years ago to serve on the international board of directors. “It’s a tremendous honor,” he said. I’m on the audit committee and chairman of the pro-life and family committee.”

Wainscott presents a report on the pro-life and family committee throughout the world to the international board so the board can decide where to focus. He also participates in the Pro-life March in San Francisco in January and he is the keynote speaker for various annual Knights of Columbus conventions in 74 jurisdictions throughout the United States every year. “Men and women leave the conventions excited about the Knights,” he said.

It all began in 1986 at Blessed Sacrament Parish during a ministry fair. He and his family had just moved to Utah from Springfield, Ill., and they wanted to get involved. His wife, Linda, joined the women’s council. He joined the Knights. “I had no idea what that was going to mean,” said Wainscott. “Now I feel it is my job to get volunteers for Christ. What better way is there to go through life than doing good things for other people and spending my time with other guys and their families who share my same values?”

With 2,800 Knights in Utah, “what is wonderful is people see the value of the Knights and our mission to support our priests, bishops and life in all its facets and aspects,” Wainscott said. “We want to be there to help others in need. Some needs are ongoing, such as the Special Olympics in which we are involved.

We do many things on the local level, such as our drug awareness poster contest, soccer challenge, basketball free-throw challenge and we support the Boy Scouts.”

The Knights in California have distributed wheelchairs in 11 countries through the Global Wheelchair Mission run by fellow Knight Chris Lewis, son of actor Jerry Lewis, Wainscott said. “We also are providing prosthetics to 800 children who were victims of the January earthquake in Haiti. Wo do many things on the local level, such as our drug awareness poster contest, soccer challenge, basketball free-throw challenge and we support the Boy Scouts.”

While many people like to volunteer, people in leadership positions, are needed, he said. “We need individuals to become council officers within the state. Being a Knight involves the whole family because Knights take their families to activities.”

Wainscott has enjoyed getting his family involved in volunteering. “It has been fun for them to see a different part of life and hopefully they will provide those same lessons and activities for my grandchildren,” he said.