Like many Christmases in the past, BCCHS students helped unload a semi-truck full of Christmas trees to prepare for the upcoming Knights of Columbus Christmas Tree Lot fundraiser. However, many students who have been involved in the past noticed a major change—St. Pius X was no longer holding a tree lot fundraiser, and the only location for the 2024 fundraiser became St. Bernard’s. Despite this major change, Central students are determined to stay involved with a community service act that has become a Billings Central Christmas tradition.
The Knights of Columbus have been selling Christmas trees to Billing’s families for many years, and Billings Central has been beside them for many of those years. BCCHS principal, Nolan Trafton, can remember unloading trees as a student 15 years ago. Rob Anderson, a 15-year St. Pius X knight, has been assisting for 12 years at St. Pius, along with his daughters, Halle and Katelyn Anderson, one former and one current BCCHS student. Since the tradition is important to families like the Andersons, the end of the tree lot at that former location was bittersweet. “It’s a Christmas tradition that I miss and really wish I had for my senior year,” Halle Anderson stated. “I understand why the knights decided to stop the tree lot, but I was still very heart broken when my dad told me right before unloading the trees last year.”
Many were confused that St. Pius X, in partnership with the St. Patrick’s knights, abandoned their annual fundraising location. Rob Anderson said it came down to finances and labor for the knights. “The tree lot is very labor intensive, and the cost of trees kept increasing, so the St. Pius Council voted last year to not continue the tree lot. This year we have changed our focus to raffling off religious items made of Olive wood carved in the Holy Land,” Anderson explained. While volunteering to unload trees exclusively in the heights can be harder for students who live on the west end, BCCHS is determined to stay involved. Trafton commented, “Despite one less location, I think there’s still a role for BCCHS. One reason we help regularly is because we are asked to help! The Knights appreciate our time and volunteerism, and our students always seem to enjoy giving back to the community.”
Many volunteers at the tree lot don’t realize how much the Knights do to support the larger community, nor why fundraising for their organization is so important. Trafton believes he could write a whole essay on how much the Knights contribute to the Catholic community in Billings. “Simply put, the Knights are a great example of living a life of charity. I think it is important that our school knows groups like the Knights exists, because living a life of faith and charity can be difficult after leaving BCCHS were part of our culture,” Trafton said. Rob Anderson, a participant in the Knight’s charitable mission, said, “The proceeds from all of the St. Pius Knights of Columbus go to different charities and to St. Pius.”
The Knights of Columbus have helped with a variety of worthy causes in the Billings community, and the annual tree lot makes these donations possible. While the tree lot downsized a bit from last year, BCCHS is determined to stay involved, so that the students and community may see the hard work that the Knights of Columbus do for our community.
