This brief history is an adaptation from the text found in the Council 5480 Silver Anniversary Celebration Booklet.  If errors are found, please let me know.  

The first 25 Years

    Columbianism was not new to the Virginia Peninsula in 1963, when Council 5480 was formed.  Newport News Council of 511 had been active since 1900, serving downtown Newport News

    By the early 1960’s, the Peninsula was in ferment and change loomed on all sides. The 1950’s had seen Newport News expand tremendously by annexation to Warwick County.  Suddenly, the city limits extended past the James River Bridge to Lee Hall.  The land from Lee Hall to Hilton Village was still were mainly farmland, but suburbanization of American cities was already an inexorable process.  Obviously, Newport News would also expand to the North, for it was bound on the East by Hampton, and the northeast by York County.  The Denbigh area, farms and residential neighborhoods for Fort Eustis, was destined to become a magnet that would create the city of the 1980’s.

    Change was coming to the Catholic community, as well.  Not only the changes resultant from Vatican II, but the same demographic changes that were affecting the community as a whole.  As the middle class populations surged outwards from downtown Newport News, the Catholic population also shifted.  Saint Vincent De Paul Church had long been the rock of Catholicism in the city, but as the population moved, it sought a more accessible religious center.  Then, as today, Newport News citizens rallied against a long, narrow communications line for the city.  Warwick Boulevard did not exist as we know it today.  It was a two-lane, blacktop, road winding through old Warwick county

     Saint Jerome’s Parish, which would later become a major anchor of Council 5480, did not yet exist, but in 1953, the diocese of Richmond authorized the creation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, on Harpersville road.  From that point on, the Catholics in the expanding the suburban areas of Newport News had their religious center.  OLMC became a thriving parish and, from the beginning, operated the parochial Mount Carmel School which provided catholic education to the children of that population base.

    As the Catholics of Newport news drew away from their downtown roots, some Knights of Council 511 began to consider a similar evolution for Knighthood.  They saw a OLMC as a growing parish, and also a burgeoning population outside the old downtown area.  They began thinking about a new Knight to Columbus Council to serve both.

    The requirement to form a new Council at that time was to have the approval of the parish pastor and twenty insurance members.  But during the first week of July, 1963, three brother Knights, all members of Newport News Council 511 – Dan Downer, Joe Wilk, and Joe Carpenito - met with Father Welch to get the necessary approval.  After Father’s approval the group grew – Brother’s Edward Foretich, Warren Scarborough, George Hill, Buck Soter, and Nick Frankie joined the first three brothers to help form the new Council.  From July to September 30, 1963, these brothers met once a week at their homes to plan the formation of the Council.  On Monday night, September 30, 1963, they had their first membership drive at the Mount Carmel School cafeteria.

    The crucial meeting occurred on November 12, 1963.  Potential membership met the minimum twenty insurance members.  A slate of officers was elected to serve until June 30, 1964 brother Daniel Downer, a native of Reading, Pennsylvania, and a Council 511 Knight since 1942, was elected to head the new Council as its charter Grand Knight.  The complete slate of charter officers was as follows:  

    To complete the application for council certification, a name was needed. At the same meeting, the name of Walter Pollard was proposed and approved. Sir Knight Walter Pollard was only recently deceased; those assembled that night believed that his life best exemplified dedication to the American dream, the Catholic Church, and the Knights of Columbus.

    Pollard was a native of Birmingham, England. He immigrated to the United States in the early 1920’s, a new convert to Roman Catholicism. He was much like millions of other immigrants arriving during those years. They were generally poor.  They were committed to hard work as the road towards financial security in a new land. They sought political freedom and freedom to worship as they wanted.

    Walter Pollard typified the immigrant of this period.  He was passionately devoted to the ideals of Columbianism.  He started a florist a business in Newport News and through hard work made it the successor remains today. He became a stalwart of the Church on the Peninsula and was a driving force behind the creation of OLMC Parish in 1953. He raised a family and taught it Christian and American values.  He became a Knight of Columbus, achieved its highest degrees, and furthered his dedication to Country, Church, and Family on the Virginia Peninsula.

    On November 26, 1963, many hours of prayer, work, and planning were fulfilled. Supreme Council, Knights of Columbus, announced approval for the formation of Walter Pollard council 5480. The council was formally constituted with 44 members at a ceremony held on December 10, 1963. With the permission of the Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Father Edmond Welch, the Council was initially located at the OLCM School cafeteria where regular businesses meetings were held for several years. Council 5480 was assigned to District Six of Virginia State Council along with Newport News Council 511 and Mary Star of the Sea Council 5323, in Hampton.

    This new band of brothers was determined to succeed. They reasoned that success would be a product of time and work. Goals would have to be set, with phased plans for achievement. Above all, they resolved, Council 5480 would not just sit back and wait for results. Its members, instead, would have to go out and grab success. 

 

The physical and financial growth

     The growth of Council of 5480 from that nucleus of 44 members in a church school cafeteria to his present status as a debt free council of over 700 members, with an extensive physical plant, cannot be described without covering the fundraising efforts of the Council over the years. Those farsighted men of 1963 knew that a truly successful Council had to have a solid financial base before it could construct a multifaceted program that would make its mark in every area of Colombianism. They determined that financial security would be the Council’s first objective it would permit physical growth while planting seeds of charity, unity, fraternalism, and patriotism which would eventually result in overwhelming success.

    The first step was to organize a “home corporation,” an entity formed under the laws of the State of Virginia and which could own property and incur debt. Such a corporation is required by Knights of Columbus regulations. A corporation, the 5480 Club, Incorporated, was formed in 1964, a few months after the Council was constituted. The first President of the 5480 club was Daniel Downer.  A tract of land was located along Warwick Boulevard (now Nettles Drive), and in January, 1965, the 5480 Club contracted to purchase 3.4 acres of land – the site of the future Colombian Center. The dedication of the Knights involved in these transactions is best shown by their personal commitment. The down payment on this property was acquired by the sale of promissory notes, bought by those members. They committed their personal funds into the project, loaning money to the 5480 club at minimal interest.

    But the Club also undertook a mortgage of $24,000.00, payable full by 1970. Therefore, the immediate efforts to raise more funds to meet each payment due date was necessary. The Club’s initial fundraising events consisted of the usual raffles, transfer of all but minimal operating funds from the Council to the Club, and the Summer Festival. Summer Festivals were conducted annually from 1964 through 1969. Initially held for three day periods at OLMC, they featured children’s game booths, bake sales, the grocery bag, wheel of fortune, garage sales, fish fries, chicken dinners, spaghetti dinners, kids rides, a Queen Contest, and entertainment. One year the Billy Butterfield jazz band entertained at a free outdoor concert. The chairman that year reported a heavy turnout for the concert, but while of people were listening to the entertainment, they were not spending money at the festival booths. The future years, that aspect of the summer festival changed. The largest profit occurred from the solicitation of local businesses and professionals for festival sponsorships. Sponsors have their businesses publicize it professionally printed festival programs, as advertisements.

    Later, in the nineteen seventies, summer festival gave way to the annual kids days. Activities were similar although more key to the participation of children. Traveling carnivals brought elephant rides, horses, and llamas. These activities were incredibly manpower intensive relative to the profits realized. Program advertisement sales, for instance, went on almost year round. Solicitation of businesses was time consuming. In addition, advertisement layout had to be coordinated and approved, and printing obtained.  Knights and their wives labored long hours for three days (unless it rained) to man the booths, bake, cook, and sell tickets. This was a young council with a limited membership list.  That the council could turn out enough workers to pull it off successfully was an early indication of the ultimate success that would occur once a better formula was found. Profit was made at these endeavors, but it wasn’t enough, especially considering the manpower after required.

    The profit from the 1966 summer festival fell short of projections. Nevertheless, there was a tremendous desire to conduct a council home. It wasn’t to occur until 1966, or in 1967, thought. In the latter year, emergency  appeals had to be made for the sale of more bonds. “Brick” sales were emphasized – gold silver “bricks”, depending on the size of the bond purchased. In January, 1968, with only $2,000.00 in the bank, the council faced a $4,000.00 mortgage payment. Thanks to the commitment of those Knights, and the super salesmanship of Brother Gus Sebick, the money was raised. Undaunted, the 5480 club, at a special meeting in early March approved the construction of the council home.

    Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on March 16, 1968. After a Saint Patrick ’s Day party in the wee hours at OLMC, the ten or so Knights that reported for that “ceremony” began digging the foundation for what is now known as Old Downer Hall. For this building was to be constructed by the Knights of 5480, themselves. A 54 by 29 ft. building had been approved, with the costs not to exceed $6,000.00. Each member was asked to contribute his sweat, or special talent, over the next few months. Brother Richard Scarborough, for instance, volunteered to do plumbing.

    The building progressed quickly. There was a roof raising on May 26, followed by a family picnic. In his final meeting as Grand Knight, brother Anthony McLeod was able to report that the building had a floor, four walls, seven windows, roof trusses in place, plumbing roughed in, and a water pipe laid out to the city service connection. By July, the building was usable as brother Buck Soter chaired the first activity in the new building, a cover dish dinner held on July 27.

    On August 8, State Deputy Pete Petrine officially approved a Council move to the new building. Council 5480’s new address was 12742 Warwick Boulevard.  State Deputy Petrine appeared in person on August 27 for the first council meeting in the new home. His accompanied by Grand Knight Francis Capone of Council 5323 as the Council conducted of First Degree Exemplification, the first of many that would be conducted there over the years. 

    The foundations of Council 5480 or truly laid in more than one way.  At that August 27 meeting, State Deputy Petrine presented the Council an award – a plaque recognizing Council 5480 for the greatest percent of membership gain, within its council category, for Council Year of 1967 to 1968.  While at the very next meeting, September 10, State Deputy Petrine was back to present Past Grand Knight McLeod an award certifying Council 5480 as the outstanding Council for the previous year, within District 6.  And bingo was starting!

    Of course, it wasn’t really bingo!  Bingo was an illegal game of chance at that time.  But, somehow, the indefatigable Joe Carpenito convinced the local government officials that LUCKY was a game of skill!  On July 9, 1968, the Council approved Carpenito’s plan for a Lucky game to be Conducted at St. Rose of Lima parish hall.  Weekly Lucky games began in November.  Brother Carpenito was appointed chairman of the fundraising committee.  The Council committed to provide game equipment, the leadership of the operation, and most of the game workers; St. Rose’s provided the hall, tables, and chairs, and recognizing Council 5480’s inability to feel the full game team every week, Mary immaculate hospital agreed to provide some workers.  In return, the profits were to be split up 40 – 40 – 20, respectively. 

    Lucky began to show slim, but significant profits almost immediately.  By 1973, the location had been switched to Immaculate Conception parish hall – by then it was called bingo.  Throughout this period, though, game manpower was always a problem.  Council 5480 had problems turning out enough workers.  Mary Immaculate dropped game sponsorship for the same reason.  They replaced by American Legion Post 31.  But, Joe Carpenito, Mr. Bingo, never gave up.  He was always there to work and devote unending hours to liaison with sponsoring groups and government bodies.  Many 5480 nights were equally dedicated and labored almost as long.  To mention all would be impossible, but several should be singled out, for eventual success was due to these men.  During this early period Brothers Ernie Hamilton, Willie Yielding, Joe Martello, John Pizzano, Anthony McLeod, and John Buckley were key figures.  Later, brothers Bernie Gerlach and Jim Wiley became anchors of the bingo effort.  All, however, who participated, can be proud.

    By 1974 to 1975, bingo was a growth venture and profits were growing steadily.  Beginning December 18, $1,000.00 guaranteed jackpots were offered and patronage grew.  By January, 1975, all of the promissory notes held by council members were redeemed.  In the summer of 1975, the Council and Club began considering the establishment of a second game.  A proposal to involve Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (OLMC) and its school bus company was turned down by OLMC Church, however.

    A second game was approved in concept in January, 1976, though, and by June of that year the location had been found – an old gymnasium in Lee Hall that looked more like a barn.  Joining Council 5480 in this effort were the Mount Carmel (School) Bus Company and the Peninsula Catholc High School Booster’s Club.  The Lee Hall game proved to be and immediate success. 

    With profits growing, discussions on a future Colombian center began in earnest in February, 1977, but construction did not begin for some time.  Finally at a special meeting of December 12, 1978, the 5480 club approved construction of a 100 ft by 90 ft Butler building.  The Building Committee was empowered to commit up to $225,000 with $150,000 mortgage.  On March 13, 1979, these figures were changed to $245,000 and $160,000.  The eventual cost proved to be $247,697 for the main building.  A contract was signed with Ritchie-Curbow Construction Company on March 2, and construction began almost immediately.  While in April, the name of the new facility, the Colombian Center, who was formally approved.

    This action came none too soon.  On May 22, 1979, a new state law on bingo was enacted.  It required that all bingo workers had to be members of the sponsoring organization.  As a result, the game at Immaculate Conception parish, which was heavily staffed by workers of that parish and the American Legion, had to be ended.  The Lee Hall game would be continued since Council members comprised most of the working members of the MCBC and PC Boosters Club.

    The law was the law, and while he was never above lobbying for a favorable laws, PGK Carpenito always insisted on strict adherence to the law.  An example of that occurred in December 1978, when Times-Herald headlines for December 27 reported that a settlement of delinquent taxes had been negotiated between the Commissioner of Revenue and two of three bingo game operators.  The third organization listed was a 5480 Club, Inc. which had been listed as delinquent earlier stories, but in this article the newspaper prominently noted that upon full inspection of the Club’s bingo records, it was proven that the correct taxes had been paid.  The Commissioner of Revenue, Taylor C. Wilson Jr. was quoted as follows: the 5480 club “had the most complete books I’ve ever seen.  He (the Club’s account) seems to be clean.”  Mr. Wilson sounded disappointed and surprised.  The club’s accountant, PGK Carpenito, however, wasn’t.  The importance of such complete books was never overlooked.  Ten other organizations lost their bingo licenses during the same investigation because they did overlook.

    Construction of the Columbian Center went quickly.  Plans for a formal dedication in October fell through when Bishop Walter Sullivan was forced to cancel his attendance.  A second date was also canceled.  Formal dedication was destined to be delayed until 1983. 

    It was a race against time in the end, but bingo in Lee Hall ended on December 8, 1979.  On December 29, 1979, bingo opened at the Columbian Center.  Until 1983, games were held every Saturday and every Thursday evening.  In mid 1983, the Saturday evening game was switched to Monday evenings.  That action reflected the state of bingo in the 1980’s.  For the most part, the Columbian Center games have remained the anchors to the Council’s fundraising efforts.  But behind the scenes there was much ferment.  The Council’s bingo chairmen (by this time Brothers Bernie Gerlach and Jim Wiley had joined Carpenito as mainstays of the game) seemed to be in a constant battle – against politicians and competitors.  The Council’s success, perhaps, was partially responsible to a boom in bingo on the Peninsula.  Converted skating rinks and supermarkets unveiled new operations repeatedly.  Other worthy charities struggled to make a relatively small profit will paying large rental fees to facility owners.  Competition forced the bingo committee to advertise, into coupons, birthday offers, and other incentives.  In the end, the competition was met successfully in the storms were weathered.

    Politically, the Council’s bingo representatives played prominent roles before City and State government bodies in efforts designed to strengthen the fairness of bingo regulations and to prevent commercial interest from dominating and overshadowing the charitable activities that sponsored games.

    In February 1982, only three years after the Columbian Center had opened, the 5480 Club moved to the second stage of its facility plan.  Brothers Carpenito and Wiley were appointed to chair and expansion committee.  In March, 1983, Wiley, President of the 5480 Club, announced the plan.  A first class lounge facility would be constructed from a portion of the existing facility and the main social hall would be expanded with the addition of a stage, office, and equipment storage areas.  This plan added 6000 square feet to the center and the cost of $174,298, all of which was paid for, in stages, with reserved funds.  No new borrowing! 

    The lounge opened, with lounge manager Wiley proudly presiding, on July 23, 1983.  This was a historic day the Council 5480 in history because, although those not immediately obvious, this lounge would prove to be the catalyst for 5480’s success in other council program areas.

    The third phase of expansion occurred 1985.  Approved at a meeting of April 23, 1985, the Club again paid cash ($158,116) for a 4000 square foot expansion – the present Council Chamber.  The first business meeting was held in the Chamber on November 12, 1985.  This Chamber reflects the fraternal aspects of our society.  The décor was respectfully designed and erected by Brothers Wiley, Gerlach, Hamilton, and Martello.  The tasteful portraits of the Past Grand Knights, interspersed with the many awards won by the Council over the years, forever marks it as the home of Knights of Columbus.

    In September, 1983, the long delayed formal dedication ceremony of the Columbian Center was held.  An impressive ceremony MC’ed by Brother Jim Wiley was held.  City councilman Bill Haskins represented Mayor Joe Ritchie and State Warden Tom O’Connor represented the State Council.  Council 5480’s Chaplain, Fr. Bart Larkin, conducted a dignified ceremony to formally dedicate and bless the facility.

    The story of 5480’s facility development reached a new high on November 14, 1987.  In July, 5480 Club President Dick Corso obtained formal approval for a lump sum settlement of original mortgage.  After this was done, the stage was set for a “burn the mortgage party.“  A banquet in the social hall preceded the official ceremony.  Newly installed a Club President Joe Drozdowski asked PGK Joe Carpenito, first and only Club Fundraising Chairman; PGK Ernie Hamilton, tireless Chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee; and FFD Bernie Gerlach, manager of the Monday night bingo and Lee Hall bingo to symbolically burn the club’s mortgage papers.