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The new state deputy, who was a member of Our Lady of
Prompt Succor parish, had been recruited by Belvin Fontenot of St.
Margaret Council 3208 in 1969. Langley had led the council as grand knight
when it earned both the State Deputy's Award and Star Council honors. The
father of three children, he served as district deputy, state chairman for
recruitment and evangelization, and as state advocate, treasurer and
secretary prior to his election as state deputy. He also was instrumental
in initiating Councils 8805 and 8978.
Other state officers for 1992‑94 included
Edward L. Bonnet 111, Joseph F. Polito and David B. Bakeler, who moved up
to the positions of state secretary, treasurer and advocate, respectively.
The state family welcomed David J. Brumfield of Mandeville as the new
state warden.
Langley's initial goals included regenerating the
Bishop Greco Memorial Trust and strengthening the R.S.V.P. vocation
project, organizing educational sessions on substance and sexual abuse,
increasing KC involvement in youth groups, and initiating a diocesan or
state rally for youth.
But before state leaders could pursue those
objectives or enjoy the final Quincentennial activities in October,
Hurricane Andrew smashed into South Dade County, Florida. Local KCs were
in the midst of organizing clothing and food drives for their southern
neighbors when the hurricane bore down on Louisiana. It devastated homes
and businesses in Lower Terrebonne Parish below Houma, and left a
destructive path through St. Mary's Parish from Morgan City and into
adjoining Iberia Parish. A tornado spawned by the storm ripped through
LaPlace, flattening houses along the way and damaging the home of Msgr.
Dennis Bergeron Council 5935.
As if in response to State Deputy Langley's
administrative theme, "Stand Up: You Can Make a Difference,"
Operation KCARE immediately went into action, with knights sending
truckloads of desperately needed items to those most critically affected.
Initial humanitarian relief supplies came from New Orleans and Avenger,
Texas, as well as from Shreveport, Monroe, Port Allen, Baton Rouge,
Galveston and Little Rock.
Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant forwarded a check for
$5,000 to help the recovery efforts. State Deputy Langley and State
Program Director‑ Rick Vishnefski sent a letter to all unaffected
councils requesting their assistance. Area coordinators were asked to lead
food and clothing drives, and St. Bernadette Council 7355 in Houma became
a clearing house for contributions to the southern region. Charles Miceli
of New Iberia and Milton Hampton of Houma coordinated the emergency
project in the hardest hit areas, assisted by Danny Richard and Wilson
Dugas. In cooperation with Father James Doiron, pastor of St. Nicholas
Parish in Lydia, Miceli secured the Parish Family Activity Center for use
as a distribution center for northern areas stricken by the disaster.
On August 31, the Knights
were represented at a White House meeting on disaster relief efforts
called by President George Bush. He praised the volunteer groups
mobilizing the clean‑up and rebuilding, calling their efforts a
great example of his "Points of Light" concept of volunteerism.
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