Knights of Columbus Council 10031 at 8201 Main Street, Chanhassen, MN 55317 US - Meet Our Brother Knight Mike Buchanan
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Meet Our Brother Knight |
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Brother Mike Buchanan has been a Knight his entire adult life. He was born in Royal Oak, Michigan in 1954. Right after high school, Mike’s Dad and Uncle wanted to join the Knights, and he went with them. Now, 38 years later, Mike remains a dedicated Knight, and is soon to be our next District Deputy.
When asked about the best thing about being a Knight, Brother Mike had to choose between many deserving answers. The reason that rose to the top was being part of something that’s worldwide, and has as its only purpose serving others. This opens the door to promote what our Catholic faith is, in action with other Faith filled Men with similar interests. Brother Mike’s best opportunity as a Knight was in Arizona, when Pope John Paul was visiting. Mike was part of the honor guard and still has the certificate from Pope John Paul proudly displayed in his home. That was probably one of the most spiritual experiences in his life as a Knight.
Brother Mike feels that the best things about our Council are the members. He feels that every one he’s been able to work with has been a man of commitment and integrity, not only as members of the Knights, but also in their Catholic Faith. As Mike noted, all you need to do is look around at all the committees in our parish and you’ll see a Knight participating in another area that needs volunteers.
Mike and his wife Donna were married right out of high school, and celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary this past year. They are blessed with three children, Katie, Brad and Andy, and are happy that they’ve raised responsible children who have the ability to meet life’s issues and challenges. Mike and Donna are also blessed with two grandchildren, Kayla Marie and Michael, and have the joy of being able to spend a lot of time with them. Brother Mike says that grandchildren are truly a gift from God, because he’s learned how to truly listen to what they have to say and has been very in regards to their insight in life. When raising children, it’s easy to go about life hearing what they have to say, but in all honesty not always listening to what they are saying.
Brother Mike has been in management in one form or another for his entire working career. As a young adult, he started a company in Michigan screen-printing t-shirts. After his daughter Katie was born in 1978, he sold the business, and moved to Arizona in 1980. At that time, Mike started working in the graphic arts end of screen-printing for local artists. From there he began working with conductive inks to make a membrane switch, which at the time, was a new technology in the screen print arena. He has been active in that business ever sense, with 42 total years in screen-printing, from t-shirts to membrane switches for angioplasty and everything in between.
For personal pleasure, Brother Mike likes to golf and bowl, but his favorite pastime would have to be travel. This includes everything from the sometimes longer-than-planned after Church Sunday drives to who knows where, to a Royal Caribbean Cruise looking out over the ocean.
When asked about his personal best accomplishments in life, Mike said that being married to Donna was at the top of the list. He and Donna were told by many that they would never make it, and that they were too young to be married, and Brother Mike thinks that maybe that made them extra committed to make it work. He says that even with the crosses and challenges we all face in life, being marriage, and raising children would be at the top of the list, and still in love with the girl he fell head over heels for in High School has to be his personal best.