Granville KCs donate to Guiding Star

The Knights of Columbus Council 3810 from Granville successfully completed a campaign to purchase a life-saving ultrasound for Guiding Star Siouxland, a pregnancy resource center serving all of Northwest Iowa and the surrounding regions. 

Last November, Kaleigh Van Middendorp, executive director for Guiding Star Siouxland, approached the local Knights of Columbus council with a bold request - would the Knights of Columbus be interested in purchasing a brand new ultrasound for their facility? They had been in the process of reestablishing their status as a medical clinic when they were informed that their ultrasound was outdated and needed to be upgraded. A new ultrasound machine was going to cost them around $30,000 and they had not budgeted for this unexpected expense.

The Knights of Columbus are dedicated to protecting the dignity of human life from natural conception to natural death and have been funding pro-life causes for decades. One way the Supreme Knights of Columbus Council does this is by establishing a matching donation incentive to purchase new ultrasound machines for pregnancy resource centers across the world. In order to qualify, the organization would have to align with Catholic, pro-life values and the local council would have to raise at least half of the funds on their own. 

Council 3810 of Granville voted to take up this challenge and raise the necessary money to purchase this life-saving device. Members of the council researched the matching funds incentive and began the process of applying for this grant. A special committee was formed to oversee the fundraising efforts and brainstorm ideas to raise this money. The goal was to raise $15,500 in six months.

By the middle of April, that goal was achieved. Through the generous contributions of the community the council raised over $22,000 in less than five months. When asked why he believed this campaign was so successful, David Wellendorf, committee chairman responded, “I think it was simple. We were successful because of faith, hope and charity. The good people that gave of their time and funds allowed the Holy Spirit to take a walk through their heart, and have the courage to respond with love.”

Guiding Star Siouxland has ordered their new machine and expect it to be set up by the end of the month.