“Receiving the Four Star Council Award is quite an honor for us. We’re extremely proud of this accomplishment,” proclaimed Grand Knight Ernie Morales, of the local Knights of Columbus council.

Knights of Columbus Council 8800 of St. Francis of Assisi Church has earned the distinction of Four Star Council, one of the organization's top award, for the 2014-2015 fraternal year. The organization's headquarters, located in New Haven, Connecticut, made the announcement.

The award recognizes overall excellence in the areas of membership recruitment and retention, promotion of the fraternal insurance program, and sponsorship of service-oriented activities.

The award was presented to the membership by District Deputy Joe Lee at a special ceremony held on September 15, 2015.

In announcing the local winner of the Four Star Council Award, Carl A. Anderson, chief executive officer of the organization, said, "Please accept my sincere congratulations upon attaining this prestigious award. Your dedication to the Order is seen in the high standard of excellence you have achieved. At the same time, I encourage you to carry forward this enthusiasm to meet the challenges that will face the Knights of Columbus in the years ahead. May this award be a reminder and an inspiration to the members of your council to continue to promote the ideals of Columbianism for the good of the Church, your community, and the Order."

"Receiving the Four Star Council Award is quite an honor for us. We're extremely proud of this accomplishment," proclaimed Grand Knight Ernie Morales, of the local council.

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic lay organization. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Church, their communities, families and young people. With more than 1.8 million members in over 15,000 councils around the world the Knights of Columbus annually donate more than $170 million and 70 million hours of service to charitable causes.