Remsen Knights of Columbus make calls for Phonothon

Wednesday, September 5, 2017 marked the 37th annual Knights of Columbus Phonothon and its success continues to grow by leaps and bounds. According to Shelly Thomson, Life Skills marketing development coordinator, this year’s event saw a grand total of $54,330 pledged to date. This figure does not include additional donations that may come in from letters the Kingsley Knights of Columbus members sent to their citizens. Thomson said in Le Mars, $38,445 was pledged; in Remsen, $8,795 was received; in Akron, $5,142; and in Hinton, $1,948. Last year’s phonothon generated $46,529. Over the last 36 years, the phonothon has raised $1.4 million. Thomson said 120 Knights of Columbus members made phone calls to residents across Plymouth County throughout the day and into the night on Wednesday. Ninety percent of the proceeds from the fundraiser go to benefit Life Skills Training Center, with the remaining 10 percent helping the Special Olympics. Thomson said the money received through the phonothon goes into the organization’s general ledger with some set aside for special projects and equipment that will enhance their clients experience at Life Skills. “They (the communities) really stood up and answered those phone calls yesterday and we couldn’t be more pleased with what they did for us. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts,” Thomson said.