Fellow PR Chairman — the short version
Your council did forty things last year. The parish heard about six and the town about one. The gap between work done and work known is your entire job — and it quietly feeds everything else: recruiting, fundraising, award submissions, and whether the pastor says yes next time.
What a Public Relations chairman actually is
- The bulletin pipeline — a council item in the parish bulletin every single week, even two lines. The bulletin is free, read, and the council's single best channel.
- The photographer of record — every program gets a usable photo (faces, action, no backs of heads). Award submissions and recruiting materials live off this archive.
- Local press contact — Coats for Kids distributions, big checks, ultrasound dedications: local papers print what they're handed, complete with photo and caption.
- The council's digital face — website/social presence kept current enough that a prospect Googling the council finds signs of life verify.
What a strong year looks like
- The standing Sunday deadline. Bulletin items submitted the same day each week, written before the event ("join us Saturday") and after ("78 coats distributed").
- A photo policy everyone knows. Knights in branded gear at every event, one designated shooter, parental consent handled for youth events — coordinate with Safe Environment practice.
- The brag file. Every clipping, photo, and bulletin item filed monthly makes the Columbian Award write-up (and the GK's annual report) an evening's work instead of archaeology.
- Names spelled right, every time. Small-town credibility is built two corrections at a time.
Common pitfalls
- Publicity as afterthought. If you hear about events afterward, fix the pipeline: PR gets the program calendar in August.
- Internal-only storytelling. Newsletters to members are nice; bulletins and local press are where prospects live.
- The abandoned Facebook page. A page last updated two fraternal years ago says "dying council" to every man who checks. Maintain it or take it down.
Related
- Grand Knight — the public face you make visible
- Program Director — your source for the program calendar
- Star Council explained — award write-ups your archive feeds
One more thing
Councils don't shrink because they did nothing; they shrink because nobody knew. Tell the story and the rest of the council's jobs get easier.
Source notes. Draws on standard council publicity practice and the Order's branding/media materials. Citations flagged verify for current social-media guidelines. Send feedback if anything's off.
Last reviewed: June 12, 2026. Fraternal year 2025–26.
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