Inaugural Knights for Life Beef & Beer Fundraiser Tonight

Once a North Penn Knight, always a North Penn Knight.

Knights For Life is a nonprofit organization that began around 2009, when co-founder Steve Melchior's brother, Chris, succumbed to colon cancer at age 46.

Then, three years later, former North Penn teacher Mike Saks, a closed friend of 1985 grad Chris Melchior, succumbed to a brain tumor in January 2012.  

In death, these North Penn Knights are renewing lives.

"The families felt such a great sense of strength from their community and friends," said Knights For Life member Karen Rowland. "We felt that everyone that is going through something deserves that same feeling. We got together through Facebook and came up with Knights For Life."

Knights For Life co-founder Scott Payne said Knights For Life was created as a way to give back and help families, through donated generosity, who are going through emotional loss or physical hardship from the loss of a loved one.

Payne said 100 percent of what is collected comes back into the North Penn and surrounding communities to those in need, albeit one family at a time.

"We are also growing with the goal of doing memorial scholarships in memory of Mike and Chris and many more exciting things," Payne said.

Last January, classmates of Saks put on a beef and beer fundraiser for his family, which, Rowland said, was a huge success.

"Many people came together and not only raised a good amount of money, but we all had a great time," she said. "So, we decided that our biggest event would be the beef and beer."

Knights For Life has also organized a wiffle ball tournament, a horseshoe tournament and even a shopping event — all in 2012. A wiffle ball tournament returns in the first weekend in April. 

The 1st Annual Knights For Life Beef and Beer is from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Presentation of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church on Allentown Road in Towamencin.

There are a limited amount of tickets for sale at the door for $30. Beer and wine is included, and there will be a mixed drink cash bar. 

The event features food catered by All About Catering, drinks and entertainment from the band 47th & Heark and comedy from Jim Burns and Mark Podersky. The fundraiser will also have silent auction and raffle items.

Plus, the Flyers game will be on the big screen.

"What started last year as the Mike Saks Benefit 'Miketallica,' is now an annual event for the Knights For Life Organization," Payne said. "We keep the memories of Mike Saks and Chris Melchior going strong for a long time to come, by giving back in their name. They are truly Knights For Life."