During the Knights of Columbus State Convention held in Wildwood in May, the Lawrence Council, Knights of Columbus, Lawrenceville, was honored with the 2013 Community Service Award for its assistance in helping Mercer High School, a Hamilton Townshipbased high school for students with special needs. John Sikorski, who has served as the council’s outside guard for the past two years, explained that the projects are a collaborative effort between the council and Mercer High School, which provides education to students with special needs ages 14 to 21. The students’ disabilities include autism, behavioral and cognitive challenges and multiple disabilities.

The school provides a structured environment with a comprehensive curriculum and behavior management system to offer maximum support to the students. Physical, occupational, speech and language therapies, and counseling are available to students based upon his or her needs.

Sikorski said the council’s initial outreach was to support the school’s Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives. The council helped to collect food and monetary donations which resulted in assisting 35 families during the holiday season. The donations came from council members, their co-workers and neighbors as well as from parishioners in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville.

Other outreach efforts included the council members collecting and purchasing supplies to stock the school’s store and supporting various school fundraisers including the softball game between the students and the Hamilton Township Police De­partment. For the past two years, the Knights have also awarded a scholarship to a graduating student as well as presenting all graduating students with a gift card. This year there were 25 students in Mercer High School’s graduating class.

The decision for the council to help Mercer High School resulted after Sikorski brought the institution to the council’s attention.

Sikorski’s son is also a student at the school.

Sikorski noted that the Knights of Columbus Community Service Award is presented annually to a local council during the annual State Convention that’s held each year in Wildwood. The 2013 award was the first for the Lawrence Council.

The Community Service Award recognizes “the effort and unity among our brother Knights and how we were able to help other members in the community that we live in,” said Sikorski.

“Lawrence Council is extremely proud of our partnership with Mercer High School and we see our involvement growing each year,” he said.

“That is what the Knights of Columbus are all about – reaching out and helping God’s special children.”