Chamberlain Family Adoption Benefit

02/17/2023

Council: 320 - JAY

Project Description:

Our council received a letter from a parishioner through Fr. Paul our pastor. It was from a young couple new to our parish, Ken and Sarah Chamberlain, who were going through the process of adopting a baby. Although they were using an adoption agency that has some ties with the Catholic Church the cost of the adoption was still expected to be in the $45,000 range.Their quest for natural parenthood had been ongoing for several years and during that time they had been saving for a new home. They ultimately decided that the funds would be needed to proceed with the adoption but they would fall short of the funds that would be required to complete the adoption. The first communication from Fr. Paul was received in April and brought up at a council meeting. We wanted to know more about the couple and about their situation. We contacted them and asked for details about adoption process. In this communication we found out that Ken was a Past Grand Knight of Council 8742 in Auburn. The members of our council at our July 2022 meeting unanimously agreeed that we should support this brother Knight as well as this a Pro Life project. We voted to donate $1,000 to the Chamberlains. During this time members of the parish became aware of their plight and a friend of Sarah’s decided that a benefit spaghetti supper to help raise funds should be held. She organized the benefit and solicited prizes for a raffle and silent auction. She set up entertainment for the event and scheduled the supper for September 10th but she needed someone capable of putting on the supper and she approached the Knights to see if they would be willing to put on the supper portion of the event. We agreed to cook the supper and 7 brother Knights some wives and a few others from the parish came together to prepare the supper. The knights also covered the cost of the food. There were approximately 150 parishioners and others in attendance and over $4,000 was raised during the event.