Rolla parishioner Johannes Woelk named Mo. Knights’ Youth of the Year

The Missouri State Council of the Knights of Columbus presented its 2019 Youth of the Year Award to Johannes Woelk, son of Klaus and Madonna Woelk of St. Patrick Council 2627 in Rolla.

Johannes is very active in his service to St. Patrick parish in Rolla, where he has been an altar server since fourth grade. Now at age 17, he now assists training younger boys and girls in serving at the altar during Mass.

Johannes participates in the parish’s youth group, has earned the Rosary Patch in Scouting, and regularly helps preparing stages and seating areas for St. Patrick School concerts and activities.

Johannes has helped with several community and Knights activities. He has performed many different duties at the Rolla Christkindl Market such as serving potato pancakes, cashier duties, cleaning tables, and collecting trash.

He recently participated in the Phelps County Faith Distribution, a local volunteer-based service organization that helps families in need with groceries and other items.

Johannes helped the Knights with a food stand at the Rolla Route 66 Summerfest. He also helped with Lenten Fish Fries by leading the kitchen cleaning crew and washing dishes.

Johannes is an active Boy Scout (Life Scout & Order of the Arrow) and is in the process of finishing his Eagle Scout project, which will benefit St. Patrick School. He participated many years in the common Knights of Columbus, Scout Troop, Cup Scout Pack, and Venturing Crew annual “Scouting for Food” collection for the St. Patrick parish pantry.

At the annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, Johannes helped fry pancakes and assisted in setup and cleanup. The annual Kiwanis Breakfast is a fundraising event that benefits the Rolla High School Marching Band in which Johannes plays saxophone. He is also a member of the High School Concert Band and High School Jazz Band and regularly attends Rolla High School sporting events playing in the Pep Band.

In recent years, Johannes has been taking on leadership roles. For the Christkindl Markt, he took the lead for signing up volunteers from the Rolla High School German Club to help the event organizers with building stages and with breaking down and cleaning up.

For his Scout Troop, he is currently the Senior Patrol Leader, which puts him in charge of the regular scout meetings and scouting events.

Johannes loves the outdoors. His hobbies revolve around camping, water sports, hiking and climbing. He went on adventurous hiking trips through the Colorado mountains and the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. He also visited the Scout Jamboree in West Virginia.

From the June 2020 edition of The Mariner, newspaper of the Knights of Columbus Missouri State Council.