Eight members of the Knights of Columbus from around the Diocese of Peoria will be honored for outstanding service to the organization, the church, and their communities during the 26th annual “Night of Knights” recognition dinner on Saturday, April 12.

The event, sponsored by the Peoria Diocese Chapter Knights of Columbus, will be hosted by Spalding Council No. 427 in Peoria.

The evening begins with a 5 p.m. Mass at Holy Family Church, 3720 N. Sterling Ave, followed by a social period at 6:30 p.m. at the Spalding Council Clubhouse, 7403 N. Radnor Road. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with the program to follow.

The honorees include two priest chaplains, Msgr. William Watson and Father Ronald Enderlin, and brother Knights known for volunteerism and leadership.

Ticket information for the “Night of Knights” dinner is available by calling Paul Flynn, (309) 694-4172, or Tim Houston, (309) 573-3439. Dinner tickets are $22 and must be purchased no later than April 5. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Brief biographies of the 2014 honorees follow:

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Darrell W. Albanito
St. Clement Council No. 12407, Dunlap

A past grand knight of his council and Fourth Degree member, Albanito implemented the council’s First Degree team and received the Gold Spirit Award when he was grand knight. He has served as the council’s team lead for its monthly breakfasts and annual spaghetti dinner.
Albanito is a member of St. Jude Parish, where he has served on the parish council and as an usher, money counter, men’s club past president, and youth group volunteer. In the community, he has been active in the Transportation Club of Peoria as president, board member and committee chair. He is a blood donor, a volunteer for the March Madness Experience at the IHSA state basketball finals, and supporter of the Special Olympics, FOCUS ministry, and the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging. He and his wife Debbie have been married for 30 years and have two children.

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Adolph F. Arnold
Msgr. E. L. Grzybowski Council No. 7580, East Peoria

An 18-year member of the Knights of Columbus, Arnold is currently the council’s lector and assists with fish frys, pork chop frys, the food pantry, set-up and take down of the Nativity scene for the Festival of Lights, and many other council fundraising events. He also organizes and arranges the council’s sports outings including golf outings, baseball games, and football games, and has been recognized by his council as Knight of the Month several times.
Arnold is a member of St. Monica Parish and has volunteered in many clean-up activities for the parish grounds. He provides transportation for visiting priests, and is working on a project to renovate Sacred Heart Cemetery in Pekin. The father of two children, he volunteers many hours with and has helped to raise money for the Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception.

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Father Ronald Enderlin
Eugene M. Dunn Council No. 8321, Lacon

Father Enderlin’s 28-year membership in the Knights of Columbus has included service as chaplain for his council and active volunteer. On senior status since 2009, he has been involved with many community projects in Lacon and has helped build several homes in Marshall County for Habitat for Humanity.
Ordained in 1969, Father Enderlin has been parochial vicar at St. Monica, East Peoria, and St. Bernard, Peoria, as well as a chaplain at OSF Saint Francis Hospital. He served as pastor of Immaculate Conception, Lacon, from 1985 to 1997, and closed out his active priestly ministry with seven years as pastor of Immaculate Conception, Monmouth, St. Andrew, Oquawka, and St. Patrick, Raritan.

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Calvin J. Flavel
Msgr. George A. Dzuryo Council No. 990, Streator

Flavel is the longest tenured Knight of this year’s honorees, having been a member for 64 years. He has served his council as a trustee, on the bar committee, monthly steak night committee, is an organizer of the family chicken night and helps with the Ash Wednesday fish fry.
An extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at St. Michael the Archangel Parish, he was a CCD teacher and parish council member at the former St. Stephen Parish. His community memberships include the Streator UCT Chapter, Kiwanis Club, and Lions Club. Flavel has been a Streator youth baseball coach and was the clock operator at Marquette football/basketball games for 29 years. He has been elected to the Marquette High School Hall of Fame, the IHSA Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, and served as chairman of the Marquette High School Board of Education and academic committee.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Flavel and his wife Patricia have been married for 62 years and have four children.

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Lowell B. Gramling
Father Bill Betson Council No. 11977, Moline

He has served his council as guard, warden and deputy grand knight and his assembly as faithful navigator, admiral, and trustee. Gramling designed and built (with volunteer help) aluminum/stainless steel pancake grills for his council and the local fire department. He has spearheaded council family night out events, and has been recognized as Knight of the Month for his volunteer efforts.
A member of St. Malachy Parish in Geneseo, he is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, an usher, has served as an RCIA coordinator and was a significant fundraiser for the new church and hall. He built the altar furniture and frames for the stained-glass windows for the new church. A volunteer at the Geneseo food pantry, Gramling is also active in Cursillo and serves on the building committee for the Believer’s Together facility in Moline.
He and his wife Darlene have been married for 52 years and have three children.

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John W. Kunkle
Spalding Council No. 427, Peoria

A member of the Knights of Columbus for 49 years, Kunkle is a past grand knight, faithful navigator and district deputy. His council achieved Star Council during his tenure as grand knight. He served the Illinois State Council as assistant director and director of new council development, and as moral decency chairman.
Kunkle has been a director of the Knights of Columbus International Bowling Association and is acting chair for the international tourney in 2015.
A member of St. Mary Parish in Kickapoo, he has served as usher, lector, and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. He is past president of the men’s club and has worked on the annual sausage supper fundraiser for 36 years. An active community volunteer, he has served as chair of the Kickapoo Sesquicentennial Parade, is past president of the Kickapoo Sportsman’s Club, is an honorary life member of the Order of Alhambra, and has been an active fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Hospital for many years. Widowed and remarried for one year to his wife Peggy, he is the father of four.

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Dale Noyes Jr.
Archbishop Schlarman Council No. 3507, Pekin

A past grand knight of his council, Noyes has also served as newsletter editor, bingo caller, team captain of the ID fundraiser, and First Degree team member during his 16 years as a Knight, earning Knight of the Month and Family of the Month recognitions. He is a former faithful navigator and district deputy, and has served as trustee for the Fourth Degree Southern District of Illinois — Marquette Province.
At St. Joseph Parish he is a lector, an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, has chaired the building and grounds committee and helps maintain the church yard. Noyes is a Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity volunteer who has also been involved in fundraisers for the Alzheimer’s Association, Relay for Life, Heart Association Walk and Pekin Hospital. He maintains a portion of the Pekin bike trail.
He and his wife Mary Jo have been married for 47 years and have two children.

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Msgr. William A. Watson
Spalding Council No. 427, Peoria

Msgr. Watson is a 47-year member of the Knights of Columbus and a strong supporter of the organization. He is chaplain for Spalding Assembly 0206 and served as chaplain for Spalding Council from 1981 to 1991.
Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Peoria Heights since 1981, Msgr. Watson was ordained in 1962. His service to the Diocese of Peoria has included early assignments as parochial vicar at St. Joseph, Rock Island, and 12 years at St. John’s Catholic Chapel at the University of Illinois. He has served as president of Peoria Notre Dame High School and as vicar of the Peoria N.W. Vicariate. He was named a chaplain to His Holiness with the title of monsignor in 2003, and a prelate of honor in 2007.