Our Daily Show Interview! Alton Knights of Columbus: Blood Drive This Wednesday and More!
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ALTON - Alton’s Knights of Columbus has an impressive history, and their work continues to be just as important as when they were founded 125 years ago.
Richard R. Ruedin recently stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with C.J. Nasello to talk about the Knights of Columbus organization and their work throughout the Alton area. The K/Cs frequently volunteer in the community to give back.
“We’re active and supporting things,” Ruedin said. “We are invisible in many ways, but we’re working behind the scenes for the City of Alton and the community.”
The Alton K/Cs support St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. This “dual church council” is “unusual,” Ruedin said, but the members are eager to help both churches by volunteering their time and organizing events.
For example, the K/Cs recently raised over $20,000 to assist St. Peter and Paul Church with renovations. They also host a free family fun night for parishioners of St. Mary’s every year before school starts.
The Alton K/Cs sponsor six blood drives every year, including one on June 4, 2025. They collect coats for area children every fall, and they’ve donated over 16 dozen coats in the last few years. Their tootsie roll drive has raised over $12,000 to support community members with intellectual disabilities.
The organization will also host their annual Rolling Hills golf outing on July 13, 2025, to raise money for their scholarships, including a new scholarship for St. Mary’s students.
This is just a sample of the work that the K/Cs do every year. Additionally, the organization meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month at 717 State Street. Ruedin emphasized that members aren’t overrun with obligations, but encouraged to attend events and activities when they can to support the community.
“We tell the busy families, we only ask for 24 hours out of your year,” he said. “It’s not all going to meetings and it’s not all activities. You can pick and choose. We’re looking for just 24 hours of your time during a year.”
Ruedin added that the Alton K/Cs are seeking new members, especially younger members to keep the tradition going. As an international organization, the Knights of Columbus offers insurance and investment programs for their members, which is a powerful incentive for many.
But Ruedin noted that the best part of membership is the socialization with “likeminded male Catholic members” while providing services to the community. He hopes to welcome more men to their group so they can continue to give back and carry on the local K/C tradition.
“That’s really our key, to continue our service on with the younger folks to carry it on to the next generation. So we’re looking for members,” he said. “That’s really important that we can get more people involved in this organization because we have so many things that we can do and we do participate in.”
To join the K/Cs, you must be a Catholic man above age 18 in good standing with the church. For more information about the Alton Knights of Columbus, including how to donate, how to participate in their upcoming golf outing, or how to join the group, email Ruedin directly at R3Alton@yahoo.com or visit their official website at AltonKC.org.
