It is not hard to see why Walter Sterling is being recognized as the Knight of the Year by the St Peter KOC Council.
Walter can be found doing meaningful Knight's work throughout the year in many ministries at St Peter. Each and every week, he works with Food for Families, picking up food in the van, gathering donations brought to the church, and sorting and distributing food through the Food for Families Pantry in Jupiter. You will find him on Sunday mornings, always impeccably dressed in a jacket and tie, making coffee and handing out the pastries after the 8 and 9:30 Masses.
Our Knights rely on him to keep a steady supply of freshly made popcorn during our Roger Dean Spring Training fundraiser events, where he is on his feet for 5-hours at a time. This is exhausting work, but he never complains.
Parish events, like the Parish Picinic and our Soufflé Sunday Breakfasts wouldn’t be complete without Walter preparing and serving the coffee and other refreshments. He is often one of the first to arrive and one of the last to leave. And the Young at Heart ministry depend upon him, along with Ryan Bielski, to help them with their events.
Each year, during our Jupiter Tequesta Christmas Parade, Walter walks along with the Knights, carrying the banner and distributing candy to the town’s kids, while spreading the message of “Keep Christ in Christmas”.
Walter was born in Klamath Falls, OR, and at the age of six months, his family moved to Sacramento, CA. A few years later his family moved to Albany, New York where he attended school and received his First Holy Communion at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Like many of us, the cold and snowy winters motivated them to move south to Daytona, FL, where Walter attended school through 11th grade, when he became a dad and had to leave school. He went to work for his father until he joined the Army. He served for three years and received his high school diploma while stationed in Panama and working in Communication. After he was honorably discharged from the Army, he attended the A/C Program at Daytona Community College. He began working in St Cloud and moved to West Palm Beach to be closer to his daughter and parents.
After his injury in 1988, he relocated to Jupiter with his family, and after a few years of feeling alone and depressed, he returned to attending Mass which is how he came to being a parishioner at St Peter. This changed his life as he began engaging with other parishioners, and he began smiling and enjoying life again. One Sunday, he was approached about becoming a volunteer and joining the Knights of Columbus. He wasn't sure if he would be able to help due to his right-side paralysis and aphasia, but as he quickly learned, there is always something to be done with the Knights.
Walter is unable to drive and appreciates Ryan so much for the transportation and his friendship and feels that the church and Knight's activities have changed his life.
The St Peter Knights have recently submitted their credits for State recognition as a Star Council. Without good men like Walter, this Star Council achievement would not be possible.
Thank you, Walter, for your endless contributions to serve St Peter's parish, its ministries, and our Knights of Columbus Council. You make us a Star Council.
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