Last week in the police blotter you ran a story about financial misconduct at the Lake Orion chapter of The Knight’s of Columbus. I want you to know the the gentleman that was described in your article as a 44-year- old Auburn Hills man and suspect is a war hero. This man spent nearly 20 years serving his country as a military police officer before suffering a near fatal injury, one in which several of his fellow service members died. This gentlemen was at that function as a volunteer to his community so that our local seniors could enjoy an afternoon of friendship and socialization. He made change for a 100 dollar bill, which was part or his job.
After an exhaustive investigation it turns out that no funds where missing. Unfortunately word and names travel quickly( especially when reported in the local paper). If you had been kind enough to have called our organization we would have shared that information with you. At the very least the story would have been objective. Our organization cares a great deal about this gentleman and his family and is extraordinary distraught by the story that was run and the errors contained in it. It was a clerical error.
As a longtime member of the Lake Orion Knights of Columbus I can tell you first hand that we have spent thousands of volunteer hours helping the less fortunate in our community. I can also tell you that through our volunteer efforts we have given away tens of thousands of dollars to worthy causes in our community. None of which ever seems fit to be printed in your paper.
Jeffrey J. Payne
Knights of Columbus member
Editors Note: Information in the police blotter is received from the Sheriff’s Department and contains information taken from complaints brought to them. The complaint in question was filed by members of the Knights of Columbus.No names were used in the story.