Effingham, IL -(Effingham Radio)- In a span of just over five months, members of St. Anthony of Padua Church surpassed their goal of raising $1.1 million to construct a new rectory for parish priests.
The capital campaign also allows for projects that include adding a room off the church for collection counters, replacing the heating and air conditioning systems in church, resealing asphalt parking lots, and installing an electronic key-fob system in the rectory and church to improve security. A total of $1,454,422 has been pledged to the multi-year “A Time to Build” campaign, launched in May 2019, with more than 70% of the donations already received from those pledges.
“The support we see from our parishioners is deeply inspiring and a testament to their unwavering commitment to our church, our schools, and their servant leaders. I am incredibly proud to be a part of St. Anthony parish. Nearly 400 families participated in the campaign and helped us exceed our fundraising goal,” comments Rev. Charles A. Edwards, Pastor of St. Anthony Parish.
Because of early donations towards the campaign, St. Anthony Parish was able to reseal the asphalt parking lots in July. The church’s HVAC was replaced at the end of September. The key-fob system will be installed in the church this October and then in the rectory once the new construction is complete.
The additional funds raised by the campaign will be used to fund parish and school capital projects projected over the next five to ten years, which could include roof replacement for the parish center and grade school, a maintenance truck and snow plow, outdoor security cameras for the church and schools, among other needs.
Bid letting for construction of the new rectory opens today. All interested parties are invited to visit https://www.utzandassociatesplanroom.com/jobs/public to view the post drawings made available by Utz & Associates Architects. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for October 22, 2019, at 10:00 am for any contractors with questions about the bid. All bids are due on October 31, 2019, by 2:00 pm. The bid award will be announced in November, with construction expected to begin in the Spring of 2020.
For more information about the “A Time to Build” campaign or the rectory bid letting, contact Rev. Charles Edwards or Carrie Koenig, Director of Operations, at the St. Anthony Parish Office at 217-347-7129.
