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Knights come together in time of need

The Castle of Knights hosted a benefit spaghetti dinner in honor of Kevin Godek. Godek will be recuperating from several surgeries over the next four months and over 600 tickets were sold in an attempt to raise funds for Godek and his family in their time of need. Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs
By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



CHICOPEE It helps to have friends in hard times and Kevin Godek of South Hadley clearly has hundreds. More than 600 tickets were sold to a spaghetti dinner at the Castle of Knights last week benefiting Godek.

Jerry Coderre, bingo chair at the Castle of Knights, explained that Godek, a longtime member and a salesmen of the insurance provided by the Knights of Columbus, had several back operations recently followed by a case of pneumonia that will leave him out of work for about four months.

Coderre said Godek has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for 20 years and is very active.

The benefit, which included several different raffles and a bake sale, was designed to raise money to help Godek, his wife and three children during this difficult time.

"The money will help keep him afloat," Coderre said.

Coderre said Godek is looking at a lengthy recuperation time and although he has been standing, it will be months before he can walk again.

Coderre could not say how much money was raised by the event.

Everything was donated for the evening, he said, from the food to the labor to the raffle items.

Godek was "ecstatic" at the news of the benefit, Coderre said.

"He would have loved to have been here," he added. "It's nice to see a guy like him get something in return."