We are men who lead, serve, protect and defend, whether we are giving out Coats for Kids, donating wheelchairs, lending a helping hand in disaster relief efforts, supporting local pregnancy centers or providing top-quality financial products.
This is an article about the Knights of Columbus and their efforts during the recent Fall Festival of 2025. First off, I would say that if you are a current Knight, you should hold your head high and be proud to be called a Knight of Columbus of Council 8157. The hours the Knights you are going to hear about in this article gave of their time and muscle to insure that all was in readiness for the start of the Fall Festival as well as doing lots of the cooking and cleaning and, of course, dismantling the festival ground after everyone else went on their way. The work for the Knights started Thursday Sept. 25, 2025 when 8 Knights gathered to setup the stage. This job was both fun and funny. Funny because these were a few instance where we were confused as to exactly how install to the tent canopy over the stage. If we had just listen to David Ybarra, all would have been okay; but we didn’t and so we assembled and disassembled the tent canopy a number of time before we got it right. Regardless, thank you; David Ybarra, Mike Fitzgerald, Jesus Medina, Joe Eubank, Doug Karpan, Marc Evans, Jack Ramsden, and myself. We all had a good time and enjoyed the camaraderie.
The real heavy lifting started at 8 am the following morning and continued throughout the day as the Midway was assembled. The weather was sunny and somewhat cool as work began, and to the casual observer, it looked a bit like an ant farm as tents were assembled at a number of different places at the same time. Eighteen large tents were constructed as well as 16 pop up tents. These tents all had to be tied down with cider blocks to protect them from the wind. Next came the distribution of 109 tables along with 175 chairs. Grills had to be cleaned and positioned, large ice chests were brought out, the power pod was put in position, food warmers were brought out and made ready. Trash barells were positioned, and much more. Once again the work went smoothly with everyone pitching in without hesitation. At the end of the day all was in readiness for the Festival. These are your brother Knights who worked on Friday to help make the Festival a success: Rolando Sobalvarro (silent auction), Jim Russell (crafts) Joel Lopez, Marc Evans, John Espree, Jorge Ruiz, Gamaliel Hernandez, Jack Ramsden, Mike Fitzgerald, Jesus Montelongo, Joe Eubank, David Ybarra, Jesus Medina, Jorge Caravero, Joe Eubank, Jeff Traub, Roberto Diaz, Adan Luna, Max Luna, Gerardo Terron, Doug Karpan, Juan Torres, James Smith, Phil Holifield, Francisco Rosales, Mario Ramos, Efrain Ochoa, Billy Callender, Paul Ryan, Miguel Huizar, Hubereto Ramirez. The atmosphere around these Knight was amazing. It was like a family get together doing things they enjoyed. What a scene!!
So now it’s Saturday and it’s Festival day and once again Knight were visible everywhere on the midway doing various chores to make the day a success. Among them were operating the games section, another was preparing turkey legs, another was grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and brauts, another was preparing and serving coffee, another was cooking taco meats – well you get the idea. Sunday was similar except only food was served – no other activities were available, like games or music or water slides. There was still a large crowd and much excitement and conversation. About 2pm or so Knight began to tear down all the work they had done on Friday. All the tables and chairs were loaded back into the rented truck, all equipment was put away for next year. Soon the Festival was only a memory. These Knights helped put everything away after the Festival ended: Chris Kubin, Patrick Kubin, Marc Evans, Fr, Uche, Efrain Ochoa, Mike Fitzgerald, Gamaliel Hernandez, Juan Espinoza, Jesse Zuniga, Russell Gully, Juan Torres, Miguel Hernandez, David Hernandez, Benjamin Hernandez, Gerado Pina, Carmelo Gonzalez, David Ybarra Zack Cazares, Joe Eubank, Adan Luna, Jose Valles, Barry Barksdale, Jorge Caravero, Mario Espinoza. What a terrific job you guys did – by Sunday evening you couldn’t tell anything happened on the church grounds this weekend. Thank you so much and know that the church community knows and appreciates what the Knights of Columbus does for our parish.
The last bit of work was tearing down and storing the stage which Mike Fitzgerald, Joe Eubank, Jesus Medina, Doug Karpan and Marc Even did on Monday morning. Order has been restored thanks to the Knights of Columbus.
I would like to give a special “shout out” to a number of Knight that went above and beyond during the Festival. Chris Kubin was the chairperson “of the whole kit and caboodle”. He spent many preparation hours plus was ever present during the 2-day event. What a wonderful job by, of course, a Knight. Gamaliel Hernandez was the head honcho of the setup and tear down of the Midway. He directed the setup Knights with clear direction – we didn’t have to move any tents. He also picked up the rented tables and chairs. Mario Tiambeng and his group did their usual production of eggrolls – 5,109 he informed me. People never get tired of his delicacy. Pedro Zuniga built a metal shed for cooking taco meats – pork and beef and tortillas. He labored each day to cook about 200 pound of meat and onions for tacos as part of the Guadalupano group. Mike Fitxgerald not only worked each time work was need, but also baked 600+ cookies which he and his wife, Susan, sold. Efrain Ochoa –all he did was prepare 14 cases of turkey legs (about 196 of them); which meant he was around the smoker grill for two day all day even though he is currently hurting with back pain. Mario Ramos and his sons Corbin and Matthew, designed and built two new games for the Festival and helped Mike Moloughney setup the games and helped wherever he was needed. Lupe Hernandez – if you played BINGO you would have seen him. He called out the number and awarded the prizes and when I went to check on my wife, the dining room was full of BINGO players. Gilbert Zuniga Sr. and Jr. This father and son team who own and operate a trucking firm, donated a bunch of chips for the Festival, all the water and paid for the truck rental to pick up the tables and chairs. Dr. Robert Nieto and his wife, Gloria, for buying the coffee making equipment, setting up the SPIRIT CAFÉ and brewing coffee delights for the two days of the Festival. James Smith. Who in conjunction with Chris Kubin determined the total amount of raw materials need for the Festival and then James and a few helpers shopped for all these items and stocked them in one of classroom at the Church. Joe Eubank not only worked all four day but also, without prompting, took on the role of trash officer – emptying trash barrels and restocking them with new bags.
Is this a brotherhood of dedicated men or what? I say again, hold your heads high and be proud to be a Knight. I will end this article by saying in all likelihood I missed a person or two that I should have acknowledged –to you I apologize.
Click on “Fall Festival Photos” on this website for more pictures
