News

Holiday help for Catholic schools

When is a Christmas wreath more than a holiday decoration?

When it is a symbol of Project Youth, the Knights of Columbus' statewide partnership with Catholic schools through which money is raised both to help the schools meet needs and grow, said Jim Burgraff of Suamico.

The fund-raising is done by selling wreaths and other holiday decorations, said Burgraff, a member of the project's steering committee. The goal is to sell a half-million wreaths a year by 2005. Each 20-inch wreath sells for $15-20. These sales would raise $5 million that would be returned to Catholic schools and pour $1 million a year into a statewide endowment fund for the schools. The Green Bay Diocese's Catholic Foundation oversees that fund.

Burgraff said Project Youth is the "brain child" of Fr. Jim Jackson of the Superior Diocese, the Knights' state chaplain. More than two years ago, when Fr. Jackson was serving in Park Falls, he told Burgraff he was concerned that the Catholic schools there would have to close for lack of funding. The solution they come up with was wreath sales.

The project would allow the Knights to develop partnerships with parishes, schools and other youth organizations to "focus the organization on the immediate needs of Catholic schools and get out the message that the schools and their students are important," Burgraff said.

He described those needs as the "new three R's -- recruitment and retention of teachers and students and rewards."

The first year, Project Youth was tested in three cities -- Madison, Park Falls and Onalaska. The success of the sale allowed the Park Falls school to remain open.

Then the Knights adopted a resolution at their state convention to make it one of their official programs.

In September, it was promoted at meetings with the Grand Knights from each diocese. Thirty councils agreed to participate. Participating councils in the Green Bay Diocese came from Green Bay, Pulaski, Crivitz, De Pere, Omro, Antigo, Appleton, Manitowoc and Marinette.

This fall the Knights sent letters to members asking them to order wreaths or send donations for Catholic schools. The schools that had partnerships with the Knights sent similar letters to the students' families. Parishes also placed announcements in their bulletins.

Sales closed Nov. 1 and the wreaths have been delivered to designated drop-off points for the Knights to pick them up.

Burgraff said the wreaths are made with live balsam in a plant in northern Wisconsin.

Most of the proceeds are returned to the schools. The Knights have created programs through which these can be applied to help teachers and students:

• "Adopt a Catholic Teacher," mini-grants to enhance student achievement.

• Youth development scholarships, which will help students attend Catholic schools. These are also available for teacher continuing education.

• Grants to help parishes start Squires organizations or college councils.

• A web site to help students search out scholarships on the Internet.