By S.L. Hansen
for the Register
When the Knights of Columbus Msgr. Raymond Wageman Council #8625 celebrated its 40th anniversary March 18, certificates of appreciation were given to the charter members. One of those, Don Kobza, received special recognition because he has never missed a single meeting or event since the council was launched at Ss. Mary and Joseph Parish in Valparaiso in 1984.
“I’ve just been fortunate,” Kobza demurred when asked about his perfect attendance record. “I haven’t been sick on meeting nights, so I’ve always been able to make it.”
He acknowledged that “maybe three times” in the last 40 years, somebody called him to remind him of the meeting. On each occasion, the lifelong Valparaiso resident would hustle to the church to be in attendance. “Once, they even held up the meeting so I would get there in time,” he admitted.
Kobza was the oldest of the 15 children in his family and received all his sacraments at Ss. Mary and Joseph Parish. When another member of the parish wanted to start a Knights of Columbus Council in 1984, Kobza signed up right away, one of some 40 men who did so. Since then, the Council has continued to grow, drawing members from nearby Touhy and Raymond, as well as Valparaiso and the rural areas in between.
“I’m not exactly sure, but I think we have about 145 members,” he said.
Together, these Knights serve the parish with fundraisers like soup suppers or pancake breakfasts, where Kobza can be found manning the griddle. Each spring, the Knights dole out scholarships to graduating high-schoolers to help give them a leg up on the next phrase of their education. They support Catholic non-profit organizations, such as Spirit Catholic Radio, with financial contributions.
When a local family in the parish suffers any sort of catastrophe, the Knights will host fundraisers to help them out. They are among the most reliable volunteers that Father Matthew Zimmer, pastor of the parish, can count on.
“The Knights are heavily involved in the parish,” Father Zimmer said. “They’re good, holy, Catholic men, serving as examples for the parish.”
Kobza, who worked as a bricklayer for 50 years, was described by Father Zimmer as “always there, always showing up… He’s always there for a person in need.”
“I just enjoy the camaraderie and being able to help people,” Kobza said.
Since becoming a Knight, Kobza has achieved fourth degree status. He had served his local council as Grand Knight, Deputy Grand Knight, Chancellor, Advocate, and, for the last 15 years or so, Warden, which puts him in charge of recording, some bookkeeping and attendance.
Additionally, Kobza is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), having served a year in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He also belongs to the local American Legion chapter (with not-quite-perfect attendance, but close), and he served as a volunteer firefighter for almost five decades, a crucial role for smaller communities.
“A lot of things happened in those 49 years, some I’ll never forget,” Kobza said. “You see some pretty horrific accidents and stuff like that.”
His commitment to the Knights of Columbus is unwavering.
“I enjoy what the Knights do and what they stand for,” Kobza said. “I enjoy working with the group of guys who are members, I enjoy going to meetings.”
He added that being in the Knights has “most definitely” strengthened his faith.
“You kind of realize what your faith means to you,” he said.
He considers the camaraderie and friendships he’s formed with his brother knights as big of a benefit as the insurance program and scholarships that are offered to Knights and their families.
“Its’s a very, very good organization that does a lot of good,” Kobza said. “It would be nice to see a lot of younger individuals join. I don’t think they’d regret it.”
Father Zimmer echoed this sentiment. “If somebody is not a Knight, they really should consider it because of how much good the Knights do for the Church.”
