The Father Robert T. Lawson Council No. 11103 of Knights of Columbus spearheaded a drive at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Pinehurst, to provide more than 100 new winter coats for children attending San Juan Diego Catholic Church, in Robbins.

Grand Knight Carl Knauer placed tags with coat sizes on a tree in the gathering area of Sacred Heart Church prior to the 4:30 a.m. Mass Saturday, Jan 7. He and other Knights hoped that the parishioners attending the Saturday Mass and the two Masses on Sunday would take a tag and purchase a coat for a child.

"I was overcome with emotion when I arrived at church Sunday morning to find that all the tags had been taken by the 4:30 Mass participants," says Knauer. "Knights of Columbus brothers and other Sacred Heart parishioners showed great generosity in buying coats for the children, which were delivered Jan. 10."

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus. Because of its support for the church and local communities, as well as for its many philanthropic efforts, the order often refers to itself as the "strong right arm of the church."