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St. Lawrence raises funds for addition, remodel

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
(Email Katie)

CARROLL – Keeping the future of St. Lawrence Parish in mind, the parishioners pledged and donated more than $3 million to the Our Second Century Campaign.

“St. Lawrence was incorporated in 1914 and so we are looking ahead to our first centennial in 2014,” said Father Timothy Schott, pastor at St. Lawrence Church. “We decided we wanted to give this a forward-looking, future orientation. We are looking to our second century. We are building these additions and improvements for the next couple of generations of parishioners.”

The driving initiative for the project was the need for a parish hall, noted the pastor.

“We have 40 funerals a year and all of our funeral luncheons are held in the school gymnasium,” he said. “It is somewhat disruptive to the school.”

Father Schott added that the school is about 150 yards away from the church and the school is not accessible without going up stairs.

“There has been a growing desire to have a parish hall that would be accessible and connected to the church so that people could go right from the church into the parish hall,” he said.

Campaign
Walsh and Associates from Minnesota were hired in the fall of 2008 to conduct a feasibility study. The study recommended that the parish wait until the economy improved to start a campaign.

“We waited about eight or nine months and then we hired them again to actually come and do the campaign,” said Father Schott. “The campaign went marvelously well. We are really pleased.”

Their goal was a minimum of $3 million. With a total of 670 pledges and donations, the goal was surpassed and $3.3 million has been raised thus far.

Those who contributed to the campaign include parishioners, former parishioners and businesses owned by parishioners.

Addition, remodel
The renovation and remodel will include a parish hall, a family room, restrooms, a covered walkway and a narthex.

“The addition will connect the front of the church building to the front door of the rectory,” said Father Schott.
The new parish hall will serve many functions – a place to have Sunday coffee and rolls, for sign up for parish activities, to launch first Communion and confirmation processions, etc.

“There were a lot of things that led people to wanting a parish hall connected to the church,” said the pastor.

There were talks about having a parish hall that would be able to divide into different spaces sizes. They decided instead to construct a family room that can be used as overflow for the parish hall when needed but would be separate from the parish hall.

“It began with the need for a parish hall and has grown to incorporate these other needs,” said Father Schott. “The covered walkway is both an aesthetic addition that will connect the new construction to the present building in a beautiful way, plus it will enable people who use our south parking lot to get under cover much more quickly.”

In addition, the interior of the church will be refurbished with new paint, new flooring, refinishing all of the woodwork and a new finish on the pews. The stained glass windows will also be upgraded.
The parish has hired an architect of BCDM out of Omaha. About 18 months ago a design concept was developed.

From here the plan is to develop the construction documents, commented the pastor. There is a building committee that is meeting with the architect.

“We are hopeful that we can begin [construction] by late summer of this year,” said Father Schott. “That would be the most optimistic beginning.”

Committees
The co-chairs for the campaign are Irvin and Jane Knobbe, Matt and Peggy Greteman, Phil and Michelle Phillips and Denny and Joan Rutten. The five committees who worked with the co-chairs are publicity and communications - Dick Lees, prayer - Stephena Kallemeyn, children’s committee - Deacon Tim Murphy, hospitality - Denny and Terri Vetter and creative giving - Cam Janson.

These committee chairs solicited gifts along with 125 volunteers from the parish who helped with the campaign.

“I am very appreciative of all the leadership,” said Father Schott. “They really made this work. I am appreciative of Walsh and Associates. Our consultant was Margaret Slawin. She was outstanding in getting our leadership trained and motivated.”

The campaign was completed in 10 weeks – from the beginning until the goal was met.

“We did a lot of looking back on previous generations who have built our buildings and now we are looking forward,” said Father Schott. “We have new needs now. We need family friendly, accessible spaces for the next couple of generations, so that is what we are building.”