Knights of Columbus in Medina celebrate new wheelchair lift and other upgrades
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) In addition to installation of a wheelchair-accessible lift outside the Knights of Columbus in Medina, council members raised enough money to put in new aluminum stairs at the back of their building. (Right) Jim Mirand, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus in Medina, takes a ride on their new lift with Medina mayor Marguerite Sherman and David Feltz, campaign chair, prior to cutting the ribbon celebrating completion of the lift on Wednesday.
MEDINA – A nearly year-long fundraising campaign was celebrated on Wednesday morning with a ribbon cutting by Medina’s Knights of Columbus Council, recognizing installation of an enclosed wheelchair lift and new aluminum stairs at their rear of their building.
Participating in the ceremony were Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman, Grand Knight Jim Mirand, fundraising campaign chairman David Feltz and bar president Steve Winans.
Sherman and Mirand rode on the elevator to the second floor Council rooms, as he explained its purpose in providing access to wheelchair or handicapped individuals. He said it is designed for outdoor use and will not be affected by the cold.
“This will be a game-changer for us,” Feltz said. “This will allow access for anyone who wants to visit our Council but is handicapped.”
Mirand said they are also constructing a new unisex bathroom in their facility.
The lift project was completed because of a successful fundraising campaign that started in July 2024 and ended on Easter Sunday 2025, Mirand said. When the Knights were unsuccessful in obtaining grant money from the New York Forward project when the winners were announced in May 2024, Mirand said they were disappointed, but not defeated.
“The organization moved forward with an aggressive fundraising campaign,” Mirand said. “The campaign was spearheaded by myself and campaign chair David Feltz, along with Bar President Steve Winans, who played a significant role during the construction phase of the project.”
Mayor Marguerite Sherman, left, joins Knights of Columbus members Steve Winans, Bar President; Grand Knight Jim Mirand; and campaign chairman David Feltz in cutting the ribbon to celebrate the installation of a lift outside their council building on Main Street in Medina.
More than $140,000 was raised from donations received from more than 160 individuals, families and organizations. Donations ranged from $100 to $25,000. The Knights raised an additional $25,000 through raffles and dinners that were held during the same period. The balance of the funds came from savings and loans secured by the Knights.
A grand total of $230,000 was spent on the lift, along with a new set of aluminum stairs which meet ADA standards. Additionally, there was new electrical work completed and new air conditioning for the banquet hall, plus concrete and masonry work. A new entrance was also installed on the front of the building.
Medina Knights of Columbus Council 651 was founded on March 17, 1902. Although the history of the transaction is somewhat unclear, the Knights obtained the deed to their building at 418-422 Main St. in 1921.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s organization that was founded March 29, 1882 by Father Michael McGivney in New Haven, Conn. The Medina Knights was the 651st council to receive a charter, Currently, there are more than 17,000 Knights councils worldwide, with more than 1.5 million members. Medina’s council claims around 100 members.
The Medina Knights have a long and proud history of supporting the local community, Mirand said. They have sponsored a scholarship to a graduating Medina High School senior for the past 25 years. They proudly support local veterans through donations to Operation Honor and the patriot trip.
Each year they sponsor a member-driven food drive that benefits the Medina Emergency Food Pantry. They have held bowling, shuffleboard and golf tournaments for more than 30 years to raise funds to support their other charitable donations to the local community.
