Present at the Family of the Year award presentation were (from left) Knights of Columbus Supreme Membership and Program Consultant Patrick Maloney; Diocese of Superior Bishop James P. Powers; Nini Milbrath; Bill Milbrath; and Wisconsin State Deputy Tim Guski. (Submitted photo)

The Bill and Nini Milbrath family has been named the 2016 State of Wisconsin Family of the Year by the Wisconsin State Council Knights of Columbus.

The award was presented to the family at the 116th annual Wisconsin State Council KC convention in Stevens Point Sunday, April 30.

The Milbraths were chosen as the Family of the Year for the St. Croix Council 1762 in Hudson, and their nomination was sent to the state for consideration as the Superior Diocese Family of the Year.
They were chosen for this award and were honored guests at the State Deputy banquet, where they were selected and awarded the state award. They were in contention with four other families for the State Family of the Year title.

The Milbrath family will now be submitted to the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus for contention in the International Family of the Year Award. If selected they will be guests and presented the award at the KC Supreme convention in St. Louis, Missouri, in August.

Bill and Nini have three children: son Dan (and wife Heather); daughter Meghan (and husband Ben); and daughter Maureen (and husband Dion). They also have two grandchildren: Mallory and Lucy.

Bill and Nini are very involved in many activities at St. Patrick Church, the community and the Knights of Columbus, volunteering countless hours throughout the year for hours throughout the year for the benefit of others.

St. Patrick’s Church has been the Milbraths’ parish home for the past 41 years, where they are involved with many activities at the church and school, volunteering many hours. Their church volunteerism goes beyond St. Patrick’s; Bill and Nini, along with their children, have led 10 mission trips to Jamaica as missionaries delivering supplies and using their talent to improve conditions in a small town.

A cancer survivor, Nini, with Bill’s help and support, has established and led a cancer support group in Hudson, helping many others who experienced cancer.

The list of activities and volunteering that Bill and Nini are involved in the church and community is overwhelming, which is why they were chosen as the Family of the Year.