Saint Olaf Knights of Columbus Council 5502 celebrates its Jubilee

Intermountain Catholic

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The Saint Olaf Knights of Columbus officers and members celebrate 50 years of service and caring for the community at a banquet in their honor. IC photo/Christine Young

BOUNTIFUL — Saint Olaf Knights of Columbus Council 5502 celebrated 50 years of service, friendship, faith and community at St. Olaf Parish Feb. 1.

A banquet honoring the Knights’ jubilee followed a Mass celebrated by the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, and Father Reynato Rodillas, pastor.

"The Knights of Columbus projects in our diocese are exemplary and we applaud them, especially those at St. Olaf tonight as we celebrate their 50 years," Bishop Wester said. "They put coats on kids’ backs, bring companionship to the elderly and protect life in the womb. The Knights have a genuine love of Jesus Christ, the Church, and they are present for those in need; they really give back to the community."

St. Olaf Grand Knight Nick Nielson thanked the current and past members of Council 5502. "Before I joined the Knights, my life was without purpose and meaning and I had no way of giving back," Nielson said; he has been a Knight for three years.

The men who became Knights started as a St. Olaf men’s association in 1955, said Michael Lemieux, who served as the council’s fifth Grand Knight, from 1968-1969. "Father Robert Pollock, then pastor, held a meeting in November 1963 to discuss the Knights of Columbus and about 120 men showed up. The council was instituted on Feb. 2, 1964."

Theodore Comins served as the first Grand Knight and Tom Brady as the deputy Grand Knight before becoming the second Grand Knight from 1965-1966.

Tubber Okuda and Bill Robertson were founding members of the council and recalled starting Herald’s Night in 1968, which later became Entertainment Night and the parish’s main fundraising event for the next 35 years.

Okuda and Robertson came up with the idea of Harold’s Night, a casino party, after taking a trip to Las Vegas, said Okuda. Along the way, Okuda and Robertson were able to obtain a liquor license for the event, and convince the Bountiful City mayor and other officials that the casino party wouldn’t cause any problems.

"Only gambling chips were on the tables," said Okuda. "We set it up so the house couldn’t lose by raising the price of the gifts three times their value."

"To get Fr. Pollock to go along with our idea, I took him fishing," added Robertson.

The first Herald’s Night revenue was put toward building a kitchen in the school, "so we could feed the kids and hold parties," said Lemieux. "We started with a Halloween party, then a New Year’s Eve dance, a Valentine’s party, and a corned beef and cabbage dinner on the Saturday before Saint Patrick’s Day. The Knights did various things for the pastor and the principal of the school."

The Knights went on to hold an Easter Egg Hunt, a Mother’s Day breakfast, steak frys, various dinners, and "we were instrumental in completing the interior of the new church in 1980," said Lemieux. "The Knights were among parish volunteers to sheetrock, paint, plumb, and do electrical work."

Under the direction of Grand Knight Art Hoffman and Father Thomas McNamara, then pastor, the McNamara Center, which serves as the gym and social hall, was completed.

"It was dedicated in December of 1983, after a rainstorm damaged the interior," said Lemieux.

The Knights have also held spelling bees, basketball free throw contests, taken kids to hockey games, and sponsored bus trips to Wendover, said Lemieux.

The St. Olaf Knights have been at the forefront of the state Council for many years.

"In the beginning we had a permanent degree team who initiated First Degree Knights," Lemieux said.

Ted Comins served as State Treasurer from 1966-1976. Gary Comins, his son, also served as State Warden and State Treasurer.

At the banquet, Robert Masse, Jr., State Deputy, presented St. Olaf Council 5502 with a congratulatory award for 50 years of service and with the Columbian Award for completing various community service projects.