By Julie A. Miller
Catholic Herald

Somerset parish exceeds building pledge

SOMERSET -- The big "thermometer" in the hallway at St. Anne School has reached over $1.1 million. The money is being raised for renovation and additions to both the school and St. Anne Church.

Fr. Jim Brinkman, pastor at St. Anne, said a feasibility study showed that based on the size of the parish, earning potential of parishioners and other factors, the parish could expect to raise about $800, 000. The study said that with a good campaign a "miracle" would be reaching a total of $1 million.

The parish has surpassed the miracle goal and is on its way toward what Brinkman called a "miracle with a Hail Mary" goal of $1.3 million. "That really is pushing it to the ultimate," Brinkman said. He added that nearly all of the money has come from parishioner pledges. "That shows the interest, the dedication and the commitment of the parish here."

Parish and school marketing and development director Maggie Greene, who also teaches prekindergarten at St. Anne School, even got the children involved in raising money. "I had a capital campaign letterhead contest," Greene said. "Each classroom designed their own letterhead and kids wrote their relatives on their own letterhead that they designed to ask for donations. That's been fun for the kids to see their own family, friends and relatives involved."

The students' campaign raised about $500.

According to Greene, repairs to the school, which was built in 1957, are a priority since they involve issues of fire safety, asbestos contamination and old electrical wiring. In addition, washrooms for the handicapped are needed. Work is expected to start this spring.

As part of the school renovation, the deteriorating floor in the combination gym and lunch room will be replaced. At the same time, Green said, an office for the physical education and health specialist will be created and an old locker room will be turned into a temporary classroom for the new seventh grade. (In the fall of 2001, there will once again be a seventh grade class and in 2002 an eighth grade. The two grades were dropped many years ago.)

Designs have also been drawn up for additions to both the school and the church. The next stage of construction will be the addition of a religious education center onto the school building. Brinkman said the space will be used for the seventh and eighth grades and for the junior high and senior high school religious education classes. These religious education students meet in people's homes now because the school classrooms are all furnished for the younger, smaller children.

The church was built in 1916. At present there are problems with accessibility. Brinkman said people in wheelchairs can't access the basement at all. There is a ramp to take them into the church, but they have to sit in the sacristy separated from the rest of the congregation.

There is also no convenient space at the church level for parishioners to visit after Mass. The plans call for the addition of a gathering space that will connect the rectory to the church. It will also have an elevator to carry people to the church and to the lower level. Brinkman said the gathering space will also allow families to have funeral visitations in town, something they can't do now, as there is no funeral home in Somerset.

Besides pledges of money, over $80,000 in services have been donated. That includes landscaping, supplies, labor, a storage shed, painting, ceramic work and lawn service.

According to Greene, out of 620 parish families, there are well over 100 campaign volunteers. She added that Steve and Lisa Cichy, Dave Durand, and Ed Schachtner were the key campaign leaders. Paul and Cleo Wenzel, Maurice and Lorraine Baillargeon, Rose Durand, Elaine Martinsen and Jane Meyer were also part of the campaign cabinet.

There was also a campaign prayer that was recited at the end of all the Masses from mid-January through mid-March. Greene said a prayer was also distributed at the school. "All the children would say the prayer. This kept all the kids really involved. They realized how important it was for their futures."

The parish can't do it alone, Greene said. "Whenever we gathered to talk about the campaign, I made sure we didn't forget the most important piece -- the Holy Spirit."

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001