Supporters Come Together to “Raise the Roof”
Homeowners know that the day will come when the roof must be replaced. This is a major expense which thankfully only occurs about every 25 years. Church roofs are no different, just much larger in expanse and therefore extremely expensive to replace.
St. Agnes Parish knew the time had arrived when buckets were visible in several places within the church, catching drips from the leaking roof after a rainstorm. The roof, now 34 years old, had to be replaced. The estimated cost was just over $200,000. The only thing to do now was to launch a campaign like no other since the church’s construction. Father James Panikulum, the astute pastor at St. Agnes thoughtfully chose seven parishioners from his congregation to undertake this enormous task. These seven dedicated ‘doers’ enthusiastically embraced the challenge. The Campaign got underway in late December 2019 with the uplifting slogan “Raise the Roof”! A fundraising thermometer appeared in the church foyer, a gentle reminder that donations were needed for this enormous project. The entire congregation got behind a fun-filled line up of fund raising events, a corporate plan, and a parishioner appeal. Everything was in place by January 2020 for the remainder of the year. Then, COVID-19 descended on the world; the church closed its doors, businesses shut down, people were without work, and gatherings were prohibited. The Campaign Committee suspended its meetings for three months. With such uncertainty, one would expect that the Campaign would also trickle to a stop. Yet, a strange and unexpected thing happened; donations continued, slowly but surely.
When the church re-opened in June 2020, the Campaign thermometer in the foyer had risen to 50% of its goal! Support from parishioners was heartwarming and inspiring. There came a resurgence of energy to push ahead towards the goal, with innovative fundraising ideas. An online auction and a C.W.L. 50/50 cash draw raised more than $10,600 towards the goal. As businesses re-opened, they, too, came forward with donations in cash and in kind. Memorials were also gratefully acknowledged. The children joined in with their Kids Chocolate Bar Drive. In the meantime, the Campaign Committee proceeded with requests for proposals on replacing the roof, and chose Bur-Met Contracting.
The new church roof took shape over the summer in a manner that was non-disruptive, professional, timely, and below budget. The contracting firm, in a kind gesture, also donated generously towards the campaign. The Raise the Roof Campaign topped out at $ 209,520.77 in December 2020. Parishioner contributions accounted for the majority of funds raised. Everyone had done their part to put a new roof on their church. For many parishioners, the church feels like home to them, offering a place of sanctuary, peace, support, and spiritual warmth.
Thanks to the Raise the Roof Campaign Committee of Sylvia Kayzer, Brian DePiero, Al and Gerri Tennant, Debbie Migay, John Schelling, Marcel Gagnon, and to Father James Panikulam for his leadership.