John Fusco of Canfield, left, and Tom Bobby of Austintown, both of Knights of Columbus Council 3930 he;ps with making beds for children at a recent work day to help Sleep in Heavenly Peace gets beds for children,

AUSTINTOWN — Members of Knights of Columbus Council 3936 have stepped up once again to help people in the community with recent events such as building beds for children and a fundraiser to help a teen battling cancer.

Several of the members gathered recently at St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church, working both inside and outside to build beds for children as part of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

The Knights of Columbus is a global Catholic fraternal service order.

Chad Rachic with Council 3936 of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish said the two K of C councils in Austintown often work together to benefit the local community.

“We have been working with Sleep in Heavenly Peace for almost two years,” Rachic said. “We do bed deliveries once a month delivering 10 to 12 beds a month. We also help build the beds and then deliver them.”

He said participating with Sleep in Heavenly Peace is very rewarding because he gets to see the joy on the faces of the children and their parents.

“The kids’ eyes light up. They don’t just get the wooden frame,” Rachic said. “They get a mattress, a comforter, the sheets and the pillow. They are ready to sleep in that bed as soon as we leave.”

He said he credits the Knights of Columbus members who show up for many of the events to help the community.

“We have a group of nine people who help with the bed deliveries,” Rachic said. “We let them know what day we want to deliver the beds and they contact the parents to let them know when we are coming with the bed.”

Rachic, the deputy grand knight with K of C, said the organization does a variety of monthly events such as pancake breakfast fundraisers and they also help feed those in need at Skip’s Kitchen along with lending a hand at the food pantry at Immaculate Heart of Mary.

GOAL OF K OF C

According to Rachic, the main goal of K of C’s charity work is to help the community and the churches.

“We have members who do a variety of volunteer work and help raise money for charity and to give to those in need,” he said.

K of C is the largest Catholic men’s organization, Rachic said, noting members are from Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Brendan Parish.

“Often there is someone in the community in need of help with medical expenses and we step up to help,” John Mashiska of Austintown said.

He said the 30 beds the Kof C helped build will be delivered in three weeks.

Mashiska said he wanted to be part of the Catholic men’s organization and joined in 2014.

“It has always been about giving back to those in need,” he said. “Being a part of Knights of Columbus and helping people has become a heartwarming reality. It is heartbreaking to see a kid who does not have a bed. Being part of this has become a great thing to do.”

Every other Wednesday, Mashiska and others help make 80 lunches for the homeless. They also have done several pasta benefit dinners to help raise money for those with medical issues such as leukemia.

As a district deputy for the K of C, he oversees three councils and helps recruit members. He also is on the state’s Kof C team and serves as the hospitality director / special warden by attending conventions and setting up hospitality rooms for all the visitors who attend.

Mike Hintz of Austintown said the most rewarding part about being a K of C member is helping with different charitable organizations and the camaraderie that occurs.

“We are very community minded, always focused on helping others,” he said.

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