Knight makes state history with third award

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Chuck Dover

TAYLORSVILLE — During the past four years, nearly 700 men in Utah have joined the Knights of Columbus. Much of the credit for the recent growth goes to Chuck Dover, Jr., who is completing his third term as past state deputy. During each of his terms, the Utah Knights exceeded their quota for new members, earning Dover a Circle of Honor Award from the national organization. He is the only Utah Knight to have earned three of these awards, and he accomplished that despite having a different membership director during each of his terms.

Dover joined the Knights in 1981 as a member of the charter council at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley City, but it wasn’t until after he moved to Saint Martin de Porres Parish that his job allowed him to become more active in the organization.

In 1999, Dover became the state membership director. The same year, he also was Grand Knight for the St. Martin de Porres Council and head of the Fourth Degree Knights in Salt Lake.

The Fourth Degree is the highest level in the Knights. Their members are the most visible, wearing the regalia (see diagram) at events such as confirmations.

By 2006, Dover had worked his way through the offices to become state deputy. He was re-elected in 2007, then returned in 2009. During his tenure Utah has risen from 26th to fifth worldwide in terms of highest membership growth by percentage.

The state membership directors during Dover’s terms as state deputy also were recognized by the national organization for their part in the recruitment.

The Judge Memorial Catholic High School alumnus sees a successful program as a three-legged stool of membership recruitment, retention and programs. “They all interact because your recruitment is based on telling people what you’re doing, and your retention is based on them seeing it happen,” he said. “If you don’t do programs, you’re not bringing in new members because they have to see activity. Who wants to join a group that does nothing?”

The activities the Knights are involved with vary from providing coffee and donuts after Mass to providing military members with prayer books that are impervious to moisture to funding artificial limbs to Haitians affected by the earthquake.

“Why do I like being a Knight?” Dover asked. “Because of what we do. There are a lot of things good about the Knights that people have no clue that we do. We give money to a lot of needs. Unfortunately, there are more needs than we have money, but we continue to give money each and every year, each and every day. There’s always someone who comes up and has a need.”

When Dover’s most recent term as state deputy ends, he may be elected to continue as Master of the Fourth Degree. “If not, I’ll join the rank and file of the Knights,” he said. “The titles are not important. The Knights have given me a whole lifetime of memories. They’re my best friends. I do what I can do, and I go where I can go, and I get involved in as much as I can. I love what the Knights do.”