The time for the formal phase of our vestibule expansion fundraiser has arrived! In November we offered a “sneak peek” for those who wanted to make donations to the project before year-end, as well as for anyone who simply wanted to see what this project was all about. The response was tremendous. Not only did a lot of parishioners show up to see the plans, but the response was overwhelmingly positive and excited. In fact, we’ve raised half of our $500,000 goal! (If you recall, the total project cost is estimated to be roughly $2.3 million, but we were able to secure the bulk of this through private donations in order to keep the parish fundraising down to a reasonable level. Any money that we raise over the total project cost will be saved toward a new roof for the church, which will need to be replaced in the next few years.)
Since we had the sneak peek, many people have been asking when we are going to make the big push toward our $500,000 goal so that we can begin construction. The answer is … NOW! I am hoping that every parish family will be able to participate as you’re able, and we’ll offer two opportunities to see a presentation of the new plans and to ask questions:
- Sunday April 23rd at 7pm in the church (with refreshments beginning at 6:45pm)
- Wednesday April 26th at 7pm in the church (with refreshments beginning at 6:45pm)
If you can’t make either of those times, I’m more than happy to speak with anyone who wants to learn more.
In today’s bulletin, we’ve included the instructions on how you can support the project. In the enclosed order form, you’ll see the different levels of suggested giving:
- Donations of $5000 will be recognized with a large engraved paver one of the new outdoor areas
- Donations of $1000 will be recognized with a small paver
- Donations of less than $1000 will be gratefully acknowledged in the program for the vestibule dedication.
We intend to break ground in June, and given the volatility of the construction industry right now, construction could take anywhere from 6 months to a year. In future bulletin columns, I’ll provide more specific information on adjustments that we will need to make during construction.
For any questions about the project, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m so excited about the benefits that this expanded vestibule will offer to our parish, and I’m incredibly grateful to the good people who are making it possible!