January 2011 - A Letter from the Junior Supreme Knight

Who can join?

Practicing Roman Catholic youth between the ages of 7-18 who have:

• received their first Holy Communion
• completed an application for membership. All applications for membership must be voted on by the juniors at their regular monthly meetings.

Jr. Knight Commanders and Jr. Daughter Counselors

Commanders and Counselors are the elected liaison for the Junior Division. They are expected to keep the Senior Council and Court informed of junior activities and give monthly reports.

Commander and Counselors financial books are to be audited quarterly along with the Financial Secretary and Treasurer’s financial books

Commanders and Counselors should be knowledgeable about the Constitution and By-laws of the Organization, both at the Local, District and National level.

Commanders and Counselors MUST take the Virtus Training, “Protecting God’s Children” Program sponsored by the local Diocese or Archdiocese. (IMPERATIVE)

Commanders and Counselors should be familiar the KPC Protection Policy for our youth.

Commanders and Counselors should be role models and mentors for their youth. It is important to watch what we say around our young people. We do want them to transfer into the senior division and become “Emerging Leaders”.

Junior Meetings

Junior meetings should be held monthly. Commanders, Counselors, Assistants, Knights and Ladies attending the meetings should have taken the “Protecting God’s Children” training that has been offered by your local Diocese or Archdiocese. Commanders and Counselors should always have another adult present with them during the meetings.

Prior to the meeting, Junior Grand Knight or Junior Grand Lady and Junior Knight Commander or Junior Daughter Counselor should confer to prepare an agenda.

Juniors should be running their own meetings. Adults attending the meetings must be recognized by the Junior Grand Knight or Junior Lady before speaking in the meeting. During the meeting parliamentary procedures should be followed.

Junior Elections

A term of Office for junior officers in your local court is 1 year. Junior elections in your local Branch or Court are held EVERY December.

Junior Transfers

When a junior reaches transfer age, the Junior Commander or Counselor should talk to the junior member and encourage him or her to transfer into the senior division. A junior may remain in the branch/court until they reaches the age of 19, however, they may wish to transfer at the age of 18. When a junior transfers, he or she must….

• Fill out an application for membership into the Senior Division. The application needs to be voted on at the Senior Council or Court’s regular meeting.
• Request that a transfer form be filled out by the Jr. Commander or Counselor.

When a Junior Knight transfers, her dues are paid by the National Court if she has been a member in good standing for at least 2 years.

A Junior Branch or Court MAY have their own bank account, OR the Junior Branch or Court may have their money with the Senior Division. All monies in the Junior Division are handled by the Senior Court Officers, namely the Senior Financial Secretary and the Senior Treasurer. The flow of Juniors money should be as follows:

At the Junior meeting:

Income

• Money is turned in to the Junior Financial Secretary
• Junior Financial Secretary turns the money over to the Junior Treasurer
• Junior Treasurer turns the money over to the Junior Knight Commander/Junior Daughter Counselor
• Junior Knight Commander/Junior Daughter Counselor turns funds over to the Senior Financial Secretary
• Senior Financial Secretary turns the money over to the Senior Treasurer for deposit

DISBURSEMENTS

At the Juniors meeting: All money being disbursed for the Junior Division is to be voted out at the regular monthly meeting. The Junior Knight Commander of Junior Daughter Counselor should not take money out of the junior account unless it has been voted on by the members of the junior branch or court.

Commanders and Counselors should:

1. Submit a check request to the Senior Financial Secretary
2. Senior Financial Secretary writes a voucher
3. The Senior Treasurer writes a check
4. The Senior Treasurer and the Grand Knight/Grand Lady sign the check & the voucher
5. The junior’s financial records are audited every 3 months by Financial Secretary and Treasurer

Junior Programs

Once we initiate youth into our division, we must offer programs and activities that will keep them interested and motivated. Some suggestions for programs and activities:

Spiritual: Retreats. Lock-Ins, Days of Reflection, Youth Masses, Mass turn-outs, Vocation Workshops, Tours of Cathedrals, Shrines, Religious Award Programs, Prayer Breakfasts and Rosary Rallies.

Community Service – Volunteer at nursing homes, hospitals, food pantries, parish churches, and community centers. Become a tutor, mentor, reader at the library or children’s hospital. Service projects, such as “Brown Bag” (feed the hungry), Blanket Distribution and Charity donations.

Educational - Workshops, Seminars, Competitions, scholarship opportunities, and Health and Wellness Fairs. Encourage attendance and participation at State/District Conferences and Junior National Conventions.

Social – Picnics, Balls, Cotillions, Parades, Round Table Gathering, Bowling and Skating Events, Banquets, Teas and Fashion Shows.

Physical – Sports Team events, Walk-A-thons

Fund Raising Ideas, Below is just a partial list of fund-raising ideas.

1. Car Washes
2. Candy Sales
3. Dances
4. Calendars
5. Food Sales (Breakfasts, lunches, dinners)
6. Old Cell phones
7. Fashion Shows
8. Used ink jet cartridges
9. Bake Sales
10. Bazaars

Roles and Responsibilities:

The Junior Knight Commander and Junior Daughter Counselor:

• Are the elected liaisons of the Senior Division
• Must take the Virtus Training, “Protecting God’s Children” Workshop offered by your local Diocese or Archdiocese.
• Be familiar with the KPC Child Protection Policy.
• Must communicate with the Senior Division monthly about activities and projects
• Should submit financial books to be audited quarterly.

The Grand Knight and Grand Lady

• Should take an active interest in the junior division
• Should sign the dues print-out for the junior division along with the commander or counselor
• Should make sure that all members working with the juniors have taken the Virtus Training and are familiar with the KPC Child Protection Policy.

Members of the Senior Division

• Support the fund-raisers, activities, programs and projects sponsored by the juniors.
• Be role models and mentors for our juniors
• Assist the commander and counselor whenever possible.
• Provide financial assistance to the juniors whenever possible.

Remember: Together Each Accomplishes More...the Juniors are our future!