Knights of Columbus to hold blood drive for

Catholic Non-Profit Knight of Columbus Miami Blood Drive (Photo by Nguyễn Hiệp from Unsplash)

The Knights of Columbus is sponsoring a blood drive for Miami-Dade County.

Knights of Columbus Blood Drive

According to the church website, the event is set from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, at the Knights of Columbus Hall - Miami Council.

The blood will go to the Miami-Dade Country, which reportedly has a critically low blood supply at the moment. Those interested in donating their blood are required to register for the event at the OneBlood website.

Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic non-profit organization that strives to empower men of faith to live their faith at home, in the parish, at work, and in the community. It is made up of men from different places, backgrounds, and stages in their lives.

The organization started in 1882 through Father Michael J. McGivney. The 29-year-old priest was the assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut, who saw the need of the community.

During this time, there was reportedly an anti-Catholic prejudice and dangerous factory working conditions that endangered families, leaving families fatherless.

It was also a way to prevent Catholic men from joining secret societies that the Church saw as anti-ethical. The name of the order came from Christopher Columbus, the Catholic who the country celebrates as its discoverer.

In its first year, the organization elected its officers and assumed corporate status.

The organization has been serving the country ever since. It has survived the Great War, the Great Depression, World War II, and other historical events.

The Knights are ingrained with U.S. history. In 1951, it initiated a campaign to adopt the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance.

In 1953, Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the law the made it official.

Today, the Knights continue to have a positive effect in and out of the country. It serves through charities, investments, funding, programs, scholarships, and more.

Patrick E. Kelly

Patrick E. Kelly is the current Supreme Knight of the organization, taking office on March 1, 2021.

As the Supreme Knight, he serves as the chief executive officer and chairman of the largest Catholic fraternal service organization in the world with over 2 million members.

Prior to his post, he served as its Deputy Supreme Knight and Vice President for Public Policy,

A servant of the country, he was also a State Deputy in the District of Columbia and an executive director of the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, among other things.

Mr. Kelly was a serviceman of the United States Navy for 24 years. Apart from his various positions, he also received multiple awards.

He also has a Law Degree from the Marquette University Law School and a Master’s Degree in Theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at CUA.

OneBlood

OneBlood is a non-profit organization that provides safe and affordable blood to more than 200 hospitals all across Florida, Alabama, the Carolinas, and more.

Every year, the organization provides about 1 million blood products. It does so through the efficient use of its 80 donor centers, about 200 buses, and multiple laboratories.