Bob and Terri Link and their family members were honored Aug. 29 at Holy Family Catholic, Woodruff. Pictured (bottom, left to right) are Carrie, Bob Link, Terri Link; and (top row) Jacob, Lincoln, Fr. Jerry Hagen and Bishop James P. Powers. (Submitted photo)
The Robert and Terri Link family, members of Holy Family Parish, Woodruff, has been named the Knights of Columbus’ 2020 Superior Diocesan Family of the Year.
The Links have three children: Patrick, 51; Carrie, 49; and Jacob, 30. They also have six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
During his 21 years of being a Knight with the Fr. Dodge Council 7827, Woodruff, Bob has held three council positions and was chairman of seven programs. Bob actively recruits other members, helps at monthly pancake breakfasts, helps run the Holy Thursday potluck dinner and has received the Knight of the Month award.
He is the lead usher at Holy Family parish, leads rosaries during Advent, is a sacristan and coordinates the concessions for the church rummage sale. Bob coordinates highway cleanup three times a year and has been a director of the Lakeland area Deer Hunting Challenge.
Terri helps Bob at all Knights of Columbus events and is very involved at Holy Family parish as a Eucharistic minister and lector. She leads the Circle of Women group and the annual rummage sale. She also started up and coordinates the annual Fat Tuesday Jambalaya dinner and was instrumental in planning the welcome dinner for Fr. Jerry Hagen and farewell dinner for Fr. Aaron Devett. Terri helps the homebound and sends out cards to them during the holidays.
Bob and Terri are members of the pastoral council and teach third-grade faith formation. They enjoy helping at the New Dawn Pregnancy Center and the Fredrick House homeless shelter. They were instrumental in helping the council raised $14,364 for a new ultrasound machine for New Dawn. For the Community Blood Center, they were able to more than double the number of units from 51 to 120 through encouraging others and by putting on a potluck meal after each blood drive.
What they are most known for is their commitment to people with special needs. Bob drove those with special needs from Woodruff to Headwaters, a place where they learn how they can help the community. Bob and Terri led the Tootsie Roll drives for 21 years and their council consistently leads the diocese by raising more than $12,000, which is donated to Headwaters and Special Olympics. He coordinated the Knights to help the Salvation Army with bell ringing on the Saturday before Christmas, raising more than $1,300 in 16 hours.
“The Link family is well deserving of the Family of the Year for the Superior diocese,” the Knights commented.
Bishop James P. Powers celebrated a Mass for Bob and Terri Link at Holy Family on Aug. 29.
