Knights keep the spirit of Christmas alive with billboards across eastern Washington
This year’s billboard seen along Highway 395 near Colville, Wash. (Courtesy Photo)
The moment the first orange leaf falls from a tree, one cannot help but notice that snowmen, stockings and elves miraculously appear on the shelves of every store. Like many holidays in American culture, these celebrations have deep roots in the Catholic tradition, yet in modern society, they have become something entirely different.
Local Knights of Columbus councils wanted to do something about all the holiday craze, banding together to purchase ad space on six billboards in the Greater Spokane Area with the message: “Keep Christ in Christmas.”
George Czerwonka, a member of the Knights of Columbus and the financial secretary of Spokane Council #683, believes that people have lost the true meaning of Christmas.
“...Christ's birth is being pushed aside by secular society, government excess and over-reach, and commercialization...” Czerwonka said.
Knights from 21 different councils across eastern Washington have collaborated on this billboard ministry for over 37 years.
The idea was born in the mid-80s by the late Edward Mertens, former charter grand knight and founder of the St. John Vianney Council #8201. The Knights have a long history of sending Christmas cards out with art depicting the Holy Family. This was an intentional decision from the Knights, opposing the more generic “Happy Holidays” greetings seen and heard today. According to Czerwonka, Mertens wanted to take it a step further and bring the image of the Holy Family to more people, reminding them of why Christmas—or the Solemnity of the Nativity of Jesus Christ—is celebrated.
“The photo of the Holy Family depicted on the panels each year has changed, but the Keep Christ in Christmas message has not,” Czerwonka said. “We believe Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, who became man. It is not a shopping holiday for gift-giving. The origins of St. Nicholas were charitable, giving to those in need.”
The Knights take their message very seriously and even go beyond the billboards by bringing Christ into the world through corporal works of mercy. Every year they operate a coat drive that benefits St. Margaret’s Women’s Shelter, Transitions Homeless Women’s Shelter, and PREPARES. They also bring coats to Nespelem for children of the Colville Tribes.
The billboards are posted in six locations, four in the Spokane metro area, one in Cheney, and one on Highway 395 near Colville. Each of the billboards features the same image of Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child, with each of the councils listed below.
According to Czerwonka, LAMAR Advertising advised them that they are reaching millions of views throughout December each year.
The billboards have been up since the beginning of Advent and will remain until the Epiphany on Jan. 6.
