Elevator allows access to Marcus church

By Kenny Keane, Globe staff reporter
Posted Nov. 7, 2002

MARCUS - All those who desired to attend Mass but were physically handicapped by age or disability have been given an opportunity to come to Holy Name Church in Marcus.

A church renovation project was completed in May 2002, and a major component of the project was to add an elevator to allow access to all those willing to attend Mass.

"It was kind of the consensus of our renovation and restoration committee," said Father Richard Remmes, pastor of Holy Name Church. "We prioritized all the things - heating, plumbing, painting, carpet and making it handicap accessible. Handicap accessibility came up as number one."

The pastor said the addition of the elevator is wonderful. He said it was a priority of the committee and a priority of his as well.

"If people are going to come to church, you have to have access for them," he said. "Plus, the two restrooms are in the basement, and if they couldn't get to the basement, they couldn't use the restroom. We just thought that was really important to make it handicap accessible."

The elevator's outdoor access is located to the left of the front steps of the church. From there its users can either go down to the basement, which includes not only the restrooms but a newly remodeled parish hall, or they can go up to the main floor of the church.

As a way of commemorating this new addition to the church, a member of the parish's renovation and restoration (R&R) committee, Mickey Treinen, wanted to use the elevator and have a special Mass with people who would utilize it attending.

So he sought the help of Leone Sand, another member of the R&R committee who is also the activity director at Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen. She and Treinen spoke with Father Remmes to plan the Mass, which was held Oct. 31 at Holy Name.

Sand brought 15 residents from Happy Siesta, along with four or five helpers, and about four or five residents of Heartland Care Center in Marcus attended. Other special guests included several members of the Cherokee Work Activity Center as well as elderly parishioners from Holy Name, Remsen St. Mary's and Oyens St. Catherine's, which make up the parish cluster.

The Catholic Daughters and several other parishioners served a plate luncheon in the parish hall for all those in attendance. Other parishioners were also on hand to help the elderly and disabled get to the church.

"I'm glad everybody enjoyed the day," Sand said. "I heard a lot of thanks from the residents who I brought over. One lady said, 'Oh they never have anything for the elderly. I'm so glad you're doing this.'

"I've heard a lot of gratitude from people for having something special for them. It's respect life month, so this kind of ends that. I feel like it was a worthwhile project."

As for having the elevator in the church, Sand said she thinks it's great, but she wished that her mother, who passed away in September, could have been present for the special Mass.

"My mom got to visit the church this summer because of the elevator. She hadn't been in the church for three or four years," Sand said. "This has enabled a lot of people to come to church who couldn't come before. I think it's wonderful that we have the elevator."