Members of Knights of Columbus Council 5647 sharpened their lifesaving abilities during a hands‑on First Aid and CPR course at the Cottage Grove fire station on April 23. The two‑hour session drew 21 attendees, including council members and parish ushers from St. Rita’s Church. The goal was simple: give volunteers the confidence and skills to respond quickly when someone needs help, whether inside their church or out in the wider community.
The training was organized by Council 5647 as part of its mission to serve others. Founded in 1882, the Knights of Columbus is a fraternal order that empowers Catholic men to live their faith through acts of charity and service. “Charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism are the values we live by,” explained Grand Knight Aaron Symicek, who leads the council. “Learning CPR and first aid is a natural extension of those principles, because you never know when and where you will be when you may need to help someone; this lifesaving knowledge could make all the difference.”
The council partnered with Fire Marshal Bill King and Firefighter Sam Anderson from the Cottage Grove Fire Department, who guided participants through the steps of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hands‑only CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator. They also demonstrated how to control severe bleeding and covered basic first‑aid care for cuts, burns and shock. Symicek said the collaboration came together after St. Rita’s pastor, Father Mike, asked that the church ushers be invited. “Ushers are often the first to notice when someone in the pews is in distress,” Symicek noted. “By training together, our Knights and ushers can serve parishioners better and be prepared anywhere.”
Council 5647 hopes the success of the course will inspire others to take similar steps. The Knights encourage parishioners, families and neighbors to stay current on CPR and first‑aid skills and to check with their local fire department or public safety agency about free or low‑cost classes. “We’d love to see more people in our community trained,” Symicek said. “It’s a simple way to put our values into action and care for one another.”