St. Gerald Knights of Columbus (Council #9518) was granted its Charter in March of 1987. Supporting the mission of St. Gerald Parish is our primary concern, along with the four principles of the order: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Among the Knights' many activities are the Lenten Fish Dinners, Tootsie Roll Drive for Intellectual Disabilities, Red Cross blood drives, and quarterly parish food drives. We invite all practicing Catholic men of our parish, aged 18 and older, to join our ranks and take a more active role in their faith. Monthly meetings are held on the third Thursday at 96th & Q.

To keep up with the latest information from our council, please visit our Facebook page. For general information about the Knights of Columbus, please visit the Knights of Columbus website. 

Our Council's Activities in 2024

Faith Activities

• Donated $500 each to four parish seminarians (May)
• Hosted a Memorial Mass for all deceased Knights and deceased spouses (November)
• Held 5 Corporate Communion and Family Rosaries for Knights, families, and friends (5th Sunday of the month)

Family Activities

• Coordinated 4 parish-wide food drives benefiting Tri-City Food Pantry and Catholic Charities (quarterly)
• Held a successful parish-wide Clergy Appreciation Dinner (January)
• Hosted our annual Valentine's Dinner for Knights and “Sweethearts” (February)
• Hosted annual Knight’s Family Picnic (June)
• Hosted "free-will" Back-to-School Breakfast (August)
• Co-sponsored Storm Chasers Baseball Night with two other Knights' Councils (August)
• Sold Pears Coffee to help fund Catholic education in Guatemala and support our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society (December)
• Provided parking lot security for Christmas Eve masses (December)

Community Activities

• Served 6 parish-wide Lenten Fish Dinners (Lent)
• Awarded $6,500 in high school scholarships to St. Gerald students (April)
• Co-sponsored the Fr. William A. Foster Golf Tournament with proceeds to the Fr. Foster Endowment Fund (May)
• Participated in the Ralston Independence Day Parade (July)
• Sponsored two Red Cross Blood Drives (June/October)
• Donated 705 new coats to needy children in our parish and the Ralston, Millard, and Omaha School Districts via our Coats for Kids program (Sept-Nov)
• Hosted our annual Turkey Bingo with proceeds to the St. Gerald Scholarship Fund (November)
• Participated in the Salvation Army's Thanksgiving Turkey Fest, helping prepare and deliver meals to needy families (November)

Life Activities

• Collected $899 in our annual Buck-A-Month campaign with proceeds to Bethlehem House (January)
• Collected and donated $3,676 to the Knights of Columbus One Rose, One Life Campaign (January)
• Participated in Mother’s Day Rose Sale, donating $2,700 to Essential Pregnancy Services (May)
• Participated in city-wide Pro-Life Chain (October)
• Collected donations totaling $1,395 in our annual Tootsie Roll Drive with proceeds to NE Special Olympics (October)

Other Activities

• Donated over $14,200 to various other church and community charities, i.e., KVSS Spirit Catholic Radio, FOCUS Campus Missionaries, Omaha National Cemetery, St. Gerald Parish facilties, St. Gerald School, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Thomas More Society, Sienna Frances House Ministry, Elkhorn Tornado Disaster Relief, Prison Ministry, and Project Lori.

As always, thank you for your continued participation and financial support! 

About Our Council

Council #9518 was chartered in 1987 and is named after Fr. William A. Foster. We are affiliated with St. Gerald Parish in Ralston and many other Ralston & Omaha metro area organizations. We started our Council with 46 charter members, with the first Chaplain being Fr. William A. Foster and the first Grand Knight, Jim McNamara. Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism are the cornerstones of our Order, which focuses on active involvement by our members in the areas of church, community, council, family, and youth.

There are over 2,600 families in St. Gerald Parish. We currently have a nice mix of younger and more seasoned members, giving our council a wonderful balance of energy and character. With all the Family, Youth, Service, Parish, and Community Activities we sponsor annually, we believe there are many reasons to join Council #9518.

About the Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus offers men a place to lead their families and communities in faith and service and put their Faith into Action. Knights of Columbus members, parishes, and families have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference through 32 Supreme Council-recommended programs.

Organized into Faith, Family, Community, and Life categories, the Faith in Action program model empowers Knights to come together to share faith, celebrate fraternity with loved ones, and do what they do best - stand shoulder to shoulder in service to the community and to defend life at all stages and in every condition.

Faith - Grow in faith and build a strong parish and Church. Aid priests and religious in formation, honor Mary, mother of God, and engage in serious spiritual reflections and religious education activities.

Family - Strengthen families through faith and service. Socialize and pray with other faith-filled Catholic families through special events, religious services, and volunteer opportunities.

Community - Make a powerful difference in your community. Help those less fortunate with the basic human needs of clothing, shelter, mobility, and compassion.

Life - Create a culture of life. Assist pregnant women in need, care for the elderly, aid the handicapped, and empower those with special needs to realize their full potential.