Wallace man Named Deacon of the Year

Reverend Mike Vandiver, a deacon at Transfiguration of Jesus Catholic Church, was recently named Deacon of the Year by the State Chaplin of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men's organization whose mission is promoting faith, charity, and service.

Of 95 deacons in the Diocese of Raleigh, Vandiver was selected for his active involvement in supporting Faith in Action programs as demonstrated by his service to the community and his church.

Ordained a deacon in 2014, Deacon Mike was asked to coordinate the Diocese's prison ministry by then Bishop Michael Burbidge. Since then, Vandiver has been instrumental in starting church services in 15 prisons and a mental hospital, traveling over 1,000 miles monthly. He is working to have services in all the prisons. His work personifies "Bring Jesus to the people and places that need Him most," a goal of the North Carolina Knights.

Sixteen years ago, Deacon Mike helped establish the Bill Lord Memorial Golf Tournament which is played annually at the River Landing golf community. Through the years, this tournament has raised over $100,000 to fund projects supporting exceptional school children in Duplin County.

Vandiver and his wife, Tish, moved to Wallace after he retired from the Gillette Company. It was then, he says, that he finally had the time to complete the six year program required to be ordained.