COLUMBIA — Jacquin Barredo received the top prize of the year at the 86th annual Knights of Columbus state convention held at the Clarion Hotel May 4-6.
Barredo, of Council 6726 in Hanahan, received the Golden Knight of the Year Award.
According to the minutes of the convention, over 200 Knights and their guests gathered for the annual event, which included Mass, business meetings, a banquet and an awards breakfast. The delegates at the annual event represented 46 of the 59 state councils.
State officers also were elected for the 2007-2008 fraternal year. They included Robert W. Ficco, state deputy; Joseph F. Gubeli Jr., state secretary; Thomas M. Monahon, state treasurer; Richard A. Gabriel, state advocate; and Richard J. Stachelek, state warden. The installation of officers will be held in June in Rock Hill.
Bishop Robert J. Baker and Joseph Pietruszynski, supreme regional program consultant, were the honored guests at the convention. The highlight was the annual awards breakfast at which the Knights presented the bishop with charitable donations in the amount of $5,000 for the Seminarian’s Fund, $5,000 for the bishop’s discretionary fund and $1,030 from the Charles Richitelli memorial for the seminarian fund.
Numerous awards were given for achievements by councils, including the Best Council honor presented in Division I to Council 13112, Grand Knight William R. Kielty; Division II to Council 11910, Grand Knight Michael T. Bell; and Division III to Council 6847, Grand Knight Robert L. Underwood Jr.
The most prestigious awards were the personal recognition awards presented by State Deputy Robert Ficco. The winners were: José Mireles, Council 6629, Summerville, Charity Award; James Martin, Council 6726, Hanahan, Catholicity Award; Brendan O’Connell, Council 6076, Spartanburg, Youth of the Year; James Sullivan, Council 13112, Greenville, Knight of the Year; Michael Williams family, Council 8182, Mauldin, Family of the Year.
“It was wonderful to see so many old friends to rekindle acquaintances and to see new faces that you hope will become new friends,” Ficco said. “The Knights are all about charity and fellowship, both of which are a part of the fraternity celebrated at this convention.”