By Steve Van Kooten
This past month, more than 2,000 members of the Knights of Columbus gathered in Colorado for their 144th Supreme Convention at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora from Aug. 3-6.
Adam Scherbring, a member of the local Knights chapter, and his wife, Malorie, were among the attendees this year.
"We're representing the state of Iowa at the convention. It's an honor to do that for the Knights in Iowa," said Adam.
The convention is an annual gathering of Knights around the world. It is also when representatives are elected to the Board of Directors and votes are held for resolutions and changes to the bylaws.
According to Adam, the convention is also a time when Knights can meet people from other parts of the world and get a taste of different cultures. "We met people from South Korea and Mexico—they have, like, five delegations—Ukraine and Poland... We sampled vodka from Poland and Ukraine, tequila from Mexico, cactus candy from Arizona, and several different chili recipes from three or four different states. After the open houses we had the pin exchange. Each jurisdiction has a unique pin with a different motto or message, and the goal is to collect one from each delegation."
Another high point was the opportunity to see the scope of the Knights of Columbus organization, which reportedly has well over two million members across the world. Adam guessed there were at least 1,200 Knights in attendance for the event's Opening Mass.
"It gives everybody a renewed sense of your faith or your drive. I went to one in 2018, and that's when I had my eyes opened as to how much of an impact we have worldwide," said Adam. "We had a record-breaking year for membership growth with over 105,000 new members worldwide. It’s given me a renewed hope for Catholics coming back to the church and for our council to get new members."
20 years in KOC
The 2026 convention was Adam's second time attending the event; however, he's been part of the KOC for two decades—a milestone he credits to his father.
"My dad joined first in April of 1998 and became involved with their different activities; he then asked me if I wanted to join during one of their membership drives. I agreed and then took my second and third degrees a few months later so I could take over as the recorder," he said. "A few years later I became the Grand Knight for our council. I then became a District Deputy for eight years and was the State Membership Director in 2019-2020 before stepping down from the State Family to focus on my own family."
Adam grew up on a dairy farm near Millville and graduated from Clayton Ridge in 2003. He earned a degree in Ag Power from Hawkeye Community College two years later and started his career. He married Malorie in 2020, and they welcomed their first child in 2023.
Benefiting the community
While conventions and other events are part of the Knights of Columbus, Adam was quick to point out the work local councils do for their communities.
Locally, the Knights have contributed to several projects in the Guttenberg community, including the replacement of an outdated ramp for the St. Mary's Church. Their efforts earned the council the State of Iowa Knights of Columbus Community Award.
The Knights hold five to six breakfasts during the fall and winter months. Proceeds go to different projects for St. Mary's Church or other initiatives in the community. They also hold fundraising events, like cookouts and the Tootsie Roll Drive, for community organizations like Imagine the Possibilities and Special Olympics.
Adam also promoted the organization's Ultrasound Initiative, which purchases ultrasound machines for pro-life pregnancy centers across the country. He said the Knights have placed approximately 2,000 machines across the country.
According to the Knights website, local councils can raise 50 percent of the cost, and the Supreme Council will match that amount. Additionally, a council can raise 100 percent of the cost of a mobile medical unit for a pregnancy center, and the Supreme Council will contribute the entire amount needed to purchase the ultrasound machine.
