Throughout our Cherishing Our Home Building our Future Campaign we have had parishioners speak about their memories and hope for the future of our parish. Today, we have inserted a note in the bulletin from Mike Hinman. Mike has a long history with Assumption Academy and St. Patrick’s Parish.

Hello Chadron!!

St. Patrick Parish Community has been a proud fixture in the Chadron Community for many years.  Perhaps you attended Assumption Academy.  Perhaps you joined with us at joyful times such as a friend’s baptism or wedding. Perhaps you stepped into our Church to say a very hard goodbye at a funeral or wake service. St. Patrick’s Parish is deeply rooted in the Chadron community.

Several years ago, planning began to construct a new Parish Life Center.  The Parish Life Center will be a place for parish offices, classrooms and gathering space.  The new Parish life center will serve our Parish for years to come.

Since Assumption Academy closed more than 50 years ago, we have not been able to effectively utilize its space. Moreover, issues with the building have continued to mount, including a lack of accessibility for those with disabilities, mold and asbestos in the structure, a roof needing replacement and energy inefficiencies in heating and cooling.  It is simply impractical and uneconomical to maintain or renovate the building—we need a new space for our parish life.

These past few months we experienced a highly successful fundraising capital campaign.  We raised $760,000.00 in pledges and gifts.  At the end of our campaign, we adjusted our Architectural Drawings.  We cut some space on our building and decreased the cost of the building by approximately $600,000.00.  Despite the cutbacks we feel we will still have an effective, efficient building.  Given our savings, pledges, and gifts we figure we currently need $400,000.00 to fund the construction of our Parish Life Center.

This is exciting news!  We see light at the end of the tunnel.  $400,000.00 is an attainable goal.  Going forward we will recontact those who are considering gifts.  We will accept gifts and pledges. We have applied for over 20 grants from statewide and national foundations and trusts.  We hope for positive responses to our grant applications.  We are planning community fundraising events.  Stay tuned.

While a definite construction timeline is contingent on completing our last bit of fundraising, we hope to raise the last bit of funds necessary and begin our project soon.  We are committed to moving forward without delay!!

You will notice an image of our new building.  We honor the spirit of our past by including the archway from the Assumption Academy Building in the main entrance to our new Parish Life Center.  As our campaign theme states:  Cherishing our Home, Building Our Future.

We are a community of faith rooted in prayer.  Please join us in prayer for our community and our dream.

Peace,
St. Patrick’s Capital Campaign Cabinet
Fr. Todd Philipsen, Pastor