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.
The sight of an out-the-door line at multiple times during Holy Spirit’s annual Pentecost picnic evokes both excitement and trepidation among the Council 8157 brothers working the event. Everything was naturally under control thanks to the leadership of Dan Murphy, our experienced director of community activities. Dan was omnipresent, whether it was a request to chop more lettuce, get more meat on the grills, or stuff the more-than 700 dogs and burgers in buns.
The rough estimate was that about 550 people were served during the picnic on Pentecost Sunday (May 24 this year), which doubles as the anniversary of our parish (founded in 1974). Almost two dozen Knights were hard at it, beginning with pre-event preparations that began hours before the picnic’s noon kickoff and were cleaning up well after the last parishioner was served. We were helped along the way by volunteers recruited by Melisa Limones, Holy Spirit’s director of community activities.
Special thanks go out to the Knights who endured the outside heat – still significant though beneath a couple of our tents – to serve as grill masters: Barry Barksdale, Juan Espinosa, John Espree, Jorge Ruiz, Frank Salazar and David Ybarra.
Larry Balagna, Mike Clark, Joe Eubank, Marc Evans, Gamaliel Hernandez, Lupe Hernandez, Mario Hernandez, Adan Luna, Jeff Miller, Robert Nieto, Pete Perta, Arthur Rodriguez, Paul Ryan, Joe Simecek and Jeff Traub performed various duties before, during and after. When produce was running short, John Owen gallantly made an unscheduled purchasing run.
As usual, some Knights wives were also part of the effort: Gilda Evans, Norma Luna and Patty Murphy.
Other KC members served in what we could call adjunct capacities. Carlos Limones assisted wife Melisa throughout, and Jim Russell was part of the craft group’s sale along with wife Mary (the man can knit like you wouldn’t believe).
And look who was busy stacking chairs and moving around tables as the gym and Upper Room were turned over afterward for Sunday night’s baccalaureate celebration – none other than our Chaplain, Fr. Uche.
Barbara Cadman, a member of Holy Spirit’s craft group and an 8157 widow, offered unsolicited as the picnic drew to a close: “You guys are indispensable.”
Said Jorge Ruiz: “It felt good to do good work.”
Amen!
