AND WE'RE OFF!

What a great start to the Project 2017 Renovation!

On December 27 about 40 parishioners (including college students, families, grandmas with grandsons, couples and some people wielding their own power drills) came to help move and transform the parish center.  An altar was set up, Christmas decorations were moved or put away, the holy water fonts were moved, the stations of the cross were put up, hymnals stacked on a rack, chairs were set up, signs were put up to direct people, and more!  We were done in about an hour!  Most of the volunteers are pictured here:

Courtney from Conrad Schmitt Studios from Milwaukee came and picked up the Mary and Joseph statues to restore them.  They are going to being examined and receive a little more color to enhance their beautiful features. They will be re-installed on the side altars but Mary will return to the left side and Joseph will be on the right.

Meanwhile, 3 workmen from Gunder Church Furniture were dismantling the pews.  They numbered and marked them, unbolted them from the floor and took them apart.  The kneelers were removed and disposed of (new kneelers with padding and hydraulic closures will be coming).  Everything was loaded into a trailer and taken to a warehouse in Waupaca, Wisconsin where the will be refinished, repaired, and re-stained.  The men worked from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.  The church looks so different without the pews!

Then on Wednesday, December 28, the workers came from J and D Environmental to remove the asbestos.  The only asbestos left in the building is in the glue of the tile that was under the pews (probably installed in the 1950's) and an area of the ceiling by the Highway 50 entrance.  They have sealed it all off now for everyone's safety and will be doing the asbestos abatement over the next few days.

As the church building itself is closed to the public for safety reasons, we will keep you updated here with photos and the progress!  It's so exciting to see it all starting to happen!

THE STORY OF THE PROJECT 2017 LOGO

One of the first things on the agenda for the church renovation was the discussion of a logo. Knowing that we needed a recognizable logo for both the capital campaign and the remodeling, we started to talk about how to go about getting a graphic designer.   A member of the renovation committee, Nick Vorpagel, volunteered to give it a shot.  Self taught with marketing experience in his family business, he knew how to navigate the design process.  Here's what Nick says about how it all came about: "I think overall, the inspiration was the Sacred Heart, which was so beloved of St. Francis. Father Jim has spoken passionately about the Sacred Heart and how it impacted St. Francis, so it seemed important to include in the project logo. I think once we found an appropriate heart, everything else fell into place. The red of the heart was a given, the yellow and orange of the flames, as well. We wanted to incorporate blue to put a part of Geneva Lake into the project, as we are a unique community, largely defined by our lake. We combined serifed and sans serifed fonts to put together both the timelessness of our building with the dedication to the future."   He came up with the "Project 2017" name, and because one of our main goals was to brighten the church, "Lighting the Way to the Future" fit perfectly!

We love the logo and feel that it has helped tremendously in the success of our project.  Once again we are very fortunate to have a parishioner like Nick who is willing to donate his time and talent.

Other "in-kind" donations to Project 2017 from Nick have included the design and execution of our parish email newsletter, 3D photos of the renovation, and most recently, live streaming Mass.  Nick coordinated and recorded a Christmas Eve SFDS Mass successfully and we hope to use more of this technology in the future. (You can see it here https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1780668198859964&id=1489716571288463)  Thanks Nick for keeping us on the cutting edge with technology and for the beautiful logo!

 

SUPPORT OUR CHURCH!

This is not what you're thinking, our church building actually needed a different kind of support...as in structural support!  Several years ago a structural engineering study was done by a professional company that essentially said that the building was in good shape.  However, they pointed out some areas in the basement that could use attention as some iron posts were beginning to rust and some very old supporting timbers were showing their age.

In addition, we had reports from some parishioners that the floor had some "give" to it in an area near the altar by the communion line.  We also had some concerns about installing the new tile flooring which would have more weight as well as the weight of scaffolding and equipment that will be used during construction.

We are again very fortunate to have a parishioner with skill and expertise! Chris Weber, from Weber Builders Concrete Contractors, came in and reinforced the area under the church with several columns and footings.

While not the most beautiful photos you'll see of Project 2017, we thought it was important for you to be able to view some of the work that was done.  Chris also patched the concrete by the stairway at the Highway 50 entrance where the railings were loose and the steps were coming apart before the weather got cold.  He donated much of the labor on the project as his "in-kind" contribution to Project 2017.  Thank you Chris for all of your help and for getting it done right!

MOVE IT!

As you know, the Project 2017 Church Renovation will be starting shortly after Christmas and will result in the church building being closed for construction.  We will be having all of our Masses and church services in the Parish Center until Holy Week (about 3.5 months).  We will be moving some things from the church to the center to create a temporary worship space.  This will include the piano, the chairs, the hymnals, the stations of the cross, the chairs, the cantor stand, the Christmas trees/decorations, and more.  We will have a moving day on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27 from 10:00 a.m. to noon.  If we have about 20 people it should go quickly...we will be well organized!  This is a great opportunity for middle and high school kids to earn community service hours.  We already have several people who have volunteered!  If you can help, please sign up here:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090f49aaa622aafb6-move or email Martha Cucco at stewardship@sfdslg.org by December 20.

 

We will still be able to access the sacristy during most of the renovation, so ushers, altar servers, readers, EMHC, musicians, etc. will still be able to use that space as usual. There will be some situations that will arise where we'll all have to be flexible and have patience!  A little sense of humor will go a long way!

 

After we move things from the church, the company will come who is refinishing the pews to dismantle them and take them off site for their makeover.  After that the tile floor under the pews and asbestos will be removed, and then the scaffolding will be built for the artists to paint the ceilings and walls.  We're on a tight schedule but will keep you informed of the progress.  This is a very exciting time for our parish!!

HERE IS THE CHURCH, HERE IS THE STEEPLE....

Like in any home,  unexpected issues come up that need repair from time to time.  At St. Francis de Sales, it was recently discovered that there was water coming into the steeple during heavy rains.  Our maintenance crew tried to diagnose the problem from the inside (it's a really small space!) and attempted some interior repairs but the leaking persisted.

Ridge Runners roofing was hired to look at the exterior and to find the source of the problem.  Using a hydraulic lift, they found that there were a number of open joints in the copper cladding which they caulked and repaired.  They also replaced a number of missing shingles.  The cost was $11,200 and came out of the Project 2017 monies.

 

While the hydraulic lift was on campus, Ed Gilbertson from Gilbertson Stained Glass was able to go up and examine the leaded glass windows under the dormers (these aren't accessible from the inside). We're happy to report that those windows are in good shape and won't need any restoration work.  They're beautiful stained glass and protect the Clerestory windows (the high round ones at the top of the church) from the elements.  Ed was able to take some pictures while he was up there so that all can see the beautiful details of these windows.

Generous Parishioner Reupholsters Over 100 Chairs

As you have heard by now, Project 2017 surpassed all of our financial goals with many wonderful monetary pledges.  What you might not realize is that there have been some parishioners who have made "in kind" donations...that of materials or labor.  They have generously shared their time or talent to contribute to the renovation.

Jim Giese is one of those guys.  He and his wife Cathy have been parishioners since 1972.  "When I heard about this, I realized it was time for me to step up", he said.  And step up he did!

Jim Giese

Jim has worked in the upholstering business, at first for Geneva Upholstering and then for himself, basically all of his adult life.

Jim is donating his labor of reupholstering over 100 chairs that grace our chapel and church!  With fabric ordered and provided by SFDS to match our new color scheme, Jim is giving the chairs a new look as well as replacing the padding.  "They really needed it," said Jim.  "In some cases the padding had turned to dust." 

BEFORE--Left and AFTER--Right

Jim has come for several weeks now and picked up 6 or so chairs at a time, redone them, and returned them, only to pick up six more with his truck.

As you can see from the photos, the update makes the chairs look brand new.  Thank you, Jim, for bringing your expertise to help with the church renovation!

NEW!