Dave Doperalski 

Believe it or not, the Knights' Grill at the St. Bernard Parish Picnic has harvested its share of recruits for the fraternity.  Dave came to know the Knights by working the grill.  He was a part of the crew when the Knights of Columbus took over the project and Dave liked what he saw in the men and families who were a part of that operation.  It was also a time when he was looking for some more parish involvement in his life, and coming to be a part of the Knights seemed the right thing to do. 

 

Maybe grills are something near to his heart.  Cooking is among his interests, and he was willing to chair the Younkers Warehouse Sale project this past June.  Dave sees himself as a quite type, usually not having a great deal to say at meetings, but when the call went out for a chairman for the Younkers project, he thought it might be something he would like to get involved in.  He feels he's a facilitator and quite good with delegating some responsibility when it is necessary, and handling such a project really seemed to appeal to him. 

 

When he began to get interested in the Knights, it was Richard Rebman who made the contact and told him all about being a part of the organization.  Dave also knew Richard's wife, Janet, as they both worked at the east side Shopko store.  Dave works in "Operations Support" for Shopko, and currently is based in Ashwaubenon.  He finds himself dealing with payroll, procedures, and is the person that everyone seems to call with questions.

 

Though he describes the Parish Picnic grilling as the most "fun" experience he has had with the Knights, Dave sees other dimensions besides activity.  He sees the Knights as "people who understand Church and fraternity without being too spiritual".  He feels at home within the fraternity and senses a lot of like minded men who are a part of it--men who value service to the Church and to the community. 

 

Dave is originally from Kewaunee and has lived in the area for several years, though he was in Minnesota for about a year and he also remembers how someone born and raised in farm country tried to adjust to the South Side of Chicago.  Dave's wife, Jean, passed away two years ago and he has had to be both parents for his children, Andy and Sara.  For him some of the hardest things are the practical--like seeing that the school work is all done on time.  He isn't into sports all that much, but really enjoys accompanying his children to sporting events and sharing their excitement and their involvement.  Though he likes to travel and goes to movies and dabbles a bit in photography, he may admit that his weekend plans are just to "sit and relax and read a book".  Whatever he does, he's brought a special flavor to the Knights, and has devoted much time to the service of God's people though his involvement.

 

August 1993