Left to right: Roger McCall, Nick Vaini, Joe and Sudie Mintjal, Sam McShane and Andy Fitzpatrick.
 

Lincoln Knights of Columbus gifted $100,000 for new parking lot

[October 04, 2021]   On Saturday afternoon, the Knights of Columbus in Lincoln accepted a large monetary gift from long-time member Joe Mintjal and wife Sudie.

The couple is donating $100,000 to the Knights for a resurfacing project at the Knights Hall parking lot.

Mintjal has been a member of the Knights of Columbus since 1947. Over the years, he has been active in supporting the Knights. According to Roger McCall, Mintjal has always been active at the Knights including being the editor of the organization’s monthly newsletter for a number of years.

The Mintjals were greeted Saturday afternoon by Grand Knight Sam McShane, Treasurer Andy Fitzpatrick, Prior Grand Knight Nick Vaini and prior Financial Secretary McCall.





In appreciation of the donation, the Knights have designed a large plaque that will be on display in the Hall. The plaque acknowledges the donation and the donors and also states, “In honor of the Knights of Columbus Class of 1947,” and the phrase “So many friends, so many good times.”

McCall said the final sentence was an apt description of Joe and Sudie. They have many friends in the Knights and the community and they always have a good time, no matter where they are.

Sudie said that the Knights has always been a special place for the couple, and that yes, they have many, many good memories of good times spent with their good friends.

In addition to the large plaque that will be placed inside the Knights Hall, a smaller plaque with the same inscription was presented to the Mintjals for them to take home with them.

The money donated will go to provide a new asphalt parking lot as well as striping of parking spaces throughout the lot. McCall said that the parking lot area is in terrible shape and the donation is going to make a huge difference at the K of C Hall. He said that a few years back, the portion of the driveway and parking lot nearest the building was converted to concrete to handle the weight of delivery trucks and the volume of traffic into the lot. However, the parking lot is asphalt and has never been re-done, only patched.

The work for the project was let out for bid, and P.H. Broughton and Sons of Springfield won that bid. Broughton is a contracting firm used a great deal by the city of Lincoln, and McCall says they also do a good amount of work for the state of Illinois. Weather permitting, the lot work should begin this week.

[Nila Smith]