Roberts Resident Honored for Her Volunteer Service
Dora Marie Rohl honored as fourth runner-up Fraternalist of the Year by the National Fraternal Congress of America.

10/23/07

OAK BROOK, IL – The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) recognized Dora Marie Rohl—a member of Catholic Knights, Branch #39, in Hudson, Wisconsin—for her outstanding volunteer efforts.  Rohl was recently named fourth runner-up for the NFCA’s 2007 Fraternalist of the Year award, recognizing the nation’s top volunteers among the 10 million members affiliated with NFCA’s member-societies.  She was recognized at the “Celebration of Fraternalism” luncheon held at the 121st NFCA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“Dora Marie Rohl is a shining example of what it means to be a fraternalist,” said NFCA Chair of the Board Katharine E. Rounthwaite.  “We are pleased to honor Dora for selflessly giving her time to serve her community in so many ways.”

Rohl has been a member of Catholic Knights for 59 years.  In 1967, when the branch needed individuals to replace aging officers, Rohl stepped up and agreed to take on the role of branch president.  She has served continuously in that office ever since.  Her service to the branch includes not only planning and attending branch socials, fund-raisers and service projects, but also attending funerals to show support for grieving family members.  She consistently offers ideas and assistance for growing her branch by reaching out to Catholics in the Hudson area and promoting Catholic Knights.  In 2006, Rohl served as a delegate to Catholic Knights’ Triennial Convention.  She has represented her branch at nearly all of Catholic Knights’conventions over her 40 years as a branch officer.

Rohl and her branch have sponsored many civic activities over the years, including projects for both JOIN HANDS DAY and Make A Difference Day.  In the past year, the branch sponsored teams in two American Cancer Society Relay for Life events, one in New Richmond, Wisconsin, and the other in Hudson, Wisconsin.  A combined total of nearly $10,000 was raised by the teams, to which Catholic Knights added $1,000 in matching funds.  The branch also partnered with members of their local parish to serve as bell ringers for the Salvation Army during the holidays. Volunteers spent 26 hours outside local businesses and raised $500, to which Catholic Knights added an additional $500.  Branch #39 also hosted a reception for those in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program at St. Patrick’s Parish in Hudson, Wisconsin.

Rohl is very active in her community.  She and her sister, Barbara, are presently compiling the history of St. Patrick’s Parish in Hudson, Wisconsin, as it celebrates its 150th anniversary.  She has been a Eucharistic Minister at the parish since the 1970s, and has also taught RCIA classes there. Seventeen years ago, Rohl helped her parish form an alliance with Sharing and Caring Hands in Minneapolis, a homeless shelter at which she continues to serve meals once a month.  Twice a year, Rohl and parishioners from St. Patrick’s cook and serve meals at Grace Place, a community outreach home sponsored by the Salvation Army in Somerset, Wisconsin.  Rohl says she is “happy and proud to serve the young and old who are poor, disadvantaged and/or homeless.”  Rohl also assists the Carmelite Sisters in Hudson, offering a helping hand, financial assistance and friendship.

For a number of years, Rohl and members of her Catholic Knights branch have sponsored teams in the New Richmond and Hudson Relay for Life events to benefit the American Cancer Society.  Participants in the 2006 Hudson event had to contend with a severe thunderstorm and a tornado warning.  Rohl braved the weather and participated in the relay as she has in past years.  However, last year was more meaningful in that her sister is now a survivor.

Rohl estimates that she volunteers about 25 hours per week, or a total of 1,300 hours per year.  According to Deb Rutledge, secretary/treasurer of Catholic Knights Branch #39, “Dora, day in and day out, lives the example of Catholic Knights values.  She is committed to a better world around her and to people, both young and old, in her neighborhood and in Catholic Knights Branch 39.  Personally, I think we need a few more dedicated and active people in the world like Dora Marie Rohl!”

About Catholic Knights
Catholic Knights is a not-for-profit membership organization focused on putting Catholic values into action. For more than 120 years, Catholic Knights has put Catholic values into action through its charitable outreach, scholarship programs, trusted financial products, and support for parishes and parish schools, as well as opportunities for members to participate in making a difference in their parishes and communities. Each year, Catholic Knights members support activities that raise more than $1.2 million to benefit parishes, schools and communities. For more information, visit www.catholicknights.org, or call 800-927-2447.

About the NFCA
The 121-year-old NFCA unites 75 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.  The association represents 10 million fraternalists in 37,000 local chapters, making it one of America’s largest member-volunteer networks.  Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities.  Combined, the NFCA’s member-societies maintain more than $329 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2006 alone, contributed almost $410 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered nearly 95 million hours for community-service projects.  These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals make to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase:  Joining Hands to Touch Lives.