December 2005 - Tower - Page 15

There's an Elevator in our Future

For some time there has been a growing need expressed for an elevator in our church. A few months ago the Church Council took the first steps to accomplish this by authorizing a special fund to cover the cost of engineering planning and to provide estimates of cost for the installation. The goal for this phase of the work is $10,000 and to date we have more than $2,000 of this amount pledged and/or in hand. The immediate need is for another $8,000 before an engineer can be hired. The engineering is needed in order to define the project in enough detail (plans and specifications) to get cost estimates for the entire project.

This article is to request and encourage donations and pledges to this fund so that the elevator project can be defined and initiated during the next calendar year.

One might ask, "Why is an elevator needed in our church?" Well, I will offer several reasons. First, there is a need to make the second floor of the educational building available to all members of the church and for a full range of uses. Because of our aging membership, access to the second floor is difficult, if not attainable, to a large number of our members; it is not just an issue for people in wheel chairs but for anyone who may not be comfortable climbing stairs. Second, an elevator would enable the movement of heavy equipment from one floor to another as the need requires- pianos, TVs, etc. That would make the building much more flexible, in addition to safer, for a wide variety of uses. It would also help when special programs require the use of all our rooms, such as during the UMW's craft shows, District training meetings, and other events requiring the use of all of the church's space resources. Overall, an elevator is needed to make our church a complete building as measured by current standards, one that serves the full range of members and visitors.

If we were building this church today it would not be possible to build a multi-story building under modern codes without an elevator. These requirements have been in place for many years under laws that require access to buildings by physically impeded persons. Our church building, as we know it today, was constructed during the 1950s, long before these laws became effective. It seems that we are long overdue in addressing this need.

The church needs your support to make this project happen. Please give it careful consideration. If you can support the project with memorial donations or other gifts please mark your gift or pledge for the elevator project.

The Tidewater Friends of Folk Music in conjunction with Family Life will present a program for the whole family on Friday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Featuring The Other Side, this program is open to the public and is free. Lite refreshments will be served, so bring your friends and neighbors to a relaxing and Christmas-spirited evening.

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Last update: December 7, 2005