The Knights of Columbus recently reported that the organization's Fr. Francis Pitka Council 6323 provided over 1,000 meals in support of three Northeastern Indiana communities hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Syracuse, Milford and North Webster all fall within the boundaries of the St. Martin de Porres Parish, the only Catholic church in the vicinity. The coronavirus caused a great deal of loss for the residents of the three townships, and a number of events that typically help support the community had to be canceled. 

Knights of Columbus field agent and Council 6323 member Jeffery Goralczyk explained that the group had to look for new and creative ways to give back to area residents. The council began holding carry-out pancake breakfasts, using appropriate guidelines to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. 

Jeffery Goralczyk | LinkedIn

In all, three breakfast events were held that accounted for 1,250 meals served and $6,300 raised. The council was also able to donate more than 1,000 pounds of food. The first breakfast event was held on Holy Saturday, and the council was shocked by the overwhelmingly positive response. 

“The response was really more than what we expected,” Goralczyk said. “They would just pull up and we’d ask, ‘How many do you need?’ If it was four, six, eight, whatever it was, we’d just give them the breakfasts and wished them well and moved on from there.”

The other breakfasts were held on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. 

“Supporting the community, being there in solidarity with our priests, with our first responders, that’s very important because that’s what the Knights of Columbus is all about,” Goralczyk said.