Church reaches
out to community for
support
By Lynn Welburn, Daily News August 5, 2010
St. Andrew's United church downtown is in dire need of repairs and renovations. The 117-year-old edifice, a downtown landmark, has been though good times and bad but right now the congregation is hoping that the city will catch the spirit and help them raise the cash they need for the work on the church.
"The church is an old, tired historical building and that adds up to big money when it comes to repairs," says Bev Short, chairman of the events and entertainment committee of the church's Catch The Spirit campaign.
"The fundraising is a three-year proposition and the work we've done getting organized has really brought us together as a community which is maybe even more important than the actual renovations," Short says.
And any improvements, she's quick to add, will benefit far more than the congregation.
"Just think of all the users over the years," she says, "All the people who have gone through those doors to listen to concerts, to watch their children perform in the Upper Island Musical Festival, the groups who meet there, who rehearse there, who use the thrift store. This is a very old building and it
has touched a great many people in our city over the many years."
As well as doing the usual fund-raising efforts within the congregation, looking for grants, etc., the church decided that, with concerts having been such a major outreach to the general population that fundraising concerts just made sense.
"We wanted to do things that people will enjoy, where they can hear the excellent acoustics," says Short. "It's way of getting the donations we need, but also giving back to the community."
As well as the Allison Crowe concert Aug. 13, a Nanaimo Concert Band and Island Soul Choir shows are planned plus a children's concert. A book sale and barbecue are set for September.
© Copyright (c) Postmedia News
By Lynn Welburn, Daily News August 5, 2010
St. Andrew's United church downtown is in dire need of repairs and renovations. The 117-year-old edifice, a downtown landmark, has been though good times and bad but right now the congregation is hoping that the city will catch the spirit and help them raise the cash they need for the work on the church.
"The church is an old, tired historical building and that adds up to big money when it comes to repairs," says Bev Short, chairman of the events and entertainment committee of the church's Catch The Spirit campaign.
"The fundraising is a three-year proposition and the work we've done getting organized has really brought us together as a community which is maybe even more important than the actual renovations," Short says.
And any improvements, she's quick to add, will benefit far more than the congregation.
"Just think of all the users over the years," she says, "All the people who have gone through those doors to listen to concerts, to watch their children perform in the Upper Island Musical Festival, the groups who meet there, who rehearse there, who use the thrift store. This is a very old building and it
has touched a great many people in our city over the many years."
As well as doing the usual fund-raising efforts within the congregation, looking for grants, etc., the church decided that, with concerts having been such a major outreach to the general population that fundraising concerts just made sense.
"We wanted to do things that people will enjoy, where they can hear the excellent acoustics," says Short. "It's way of getting the donations we need, but also giving back to the community."
As well as the Allison Crowe concert Aug. 13, a Nanaimo Concert Band and Island Soul Choir shows are planned plus a children's concert. A book sale and barbecue are set for September.
© Copyright (c) Postmedia News
