St. Rose School Reunion Spectacular!
Thank you to everyone who attended the special reunion on Sunday, June 4 at 1:00 p.m. at the school house. We celebrated the past, present and future of this special place. As many as seventy kids at a time attended St. Rose School when it was a one- or two-room schoolhouse (1892-1957), many learning under the watchful eye of Teacher Hemmelgarn. It was another time, and seems like only yesterday. CLICK HERE to read an article on the Reunion Spectacular. |
OUR FATHERS HOUSE
The St. Rose School has been well loved and well used throughout two chapters of its long life. Built as a one-room schoolhouse in 1892, it housed generations of students who learned how to read and write there—for some, it was a place where they first learned to speak English.
After it closed as a school in 1957, it was fitted out as a gym, where kids from the community could hone their basketball skills, either in pick-up games or during hours of solitary practice. Warm and dry in the winter, it offered youth a place to play the sport they loved, a sport that needs only a ball, a backboard and a hoop.
But the poor old school needs some tender loving care to get it to its third chapter. A group of local volunteers is working to give the school a new mission as “Our Father’s House.” Renamed in honor of two devoted Marion Catholic Community pastors, Fr. Ken Schroeder, C.PP.S., and Fr. Gene Schnipke, C.PP.S., the old school will get a new roof, walls, ceiling, lights and electrical system. The floor will be refinished, striped, and sealed. The entire outside brick walls from the ground to the roof will be 100% tuckpointed, acid washed and sealed.
Wellman Brothers said the building is in amazing shape for its age, but without action in the near future, the building will not be salvageable. Will you help us save it?
All the necessary funds needed to complete the project will come from private donations, from people who love the school, its history and what it stands for: a community that consistently provides for its kids, in constantly creative ways. No parish funds will be used for this project.
We hope you will help us. We’re asking all Flyers, past and present, to consider supporting this project to save a local landmark. Please help us give it another lease on life, while retaining its mission to offer youth a safe, warm, dry place to play.
As many of you know, Fr. Gene and Fr. Ken where very loyal fans of our local athletes. Fr. Ken estimated that in their time at the Marion Catholic Community, he and Fr. Gene attended over 1,000 athletic events to cheer on the Flyer boys and girls.
Will you be a part of bringing new life to this old gym? Please help us save this gym and bring it into the 21st century and preserve it for generations of local youth still to come. Estimates for the total cost of the project come in at $91,000, with a goal of raising $100,000 to set aside funds for future maintenance. We know that is a lofty goal, but we also know the love this community has for its youth, and the love all of us have for these two great men.
Sincerely,
Sue Fortkamp, Treva Fortkamp, Brett Hartings, Dan Moeller & Nick Schulze
"LIKE" OUR FATHERS HOUSE ON FACEBOOK
Click the icon to the left to visit our Facebook page VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are very excited as we get closer to the kick off of turning the St Rose Schoolhouse into Our Fathers House. The support from the community has been phenomenal thus far. We are hoping and praying we will be fully funded by early May so Wellman Bros. can start the outside work on the building. If you are interest in being one of the many volunteers we will need to complete the project, please let us know. We have many small, and not so small projects we will be completing on our own, and welcome anyone who would like to help. Please email Nick Schulze at [email protected], or text 419-305-0856 with your phone number, and we will be in contact you as projects come up. |
If you are interested in donating to this special project, you can give your gift the following ways:
1) Come into the parish office with cash or check 2) Drop your check in the collection basket (Please put Attn: Our Fathers House on your envelope) 3) Mail your check to the parish office St. Rose Catholic Church Attn: Our Fathers House 7428 State Route 119 Maria Stein, Ohio 45860 4) Give your gift electronically -CLICK HERE to visit the online giving page -Enter dollar amount you would like to give & click next -Choose CONTINUE AS GUEST -Fill in 1) Your Information 2) Payment Method 3) Gift Details Fund: Our Fathers House Cover Processing Fee: Check box if you wish to pay our processing fee Memo: (optional) Frequency: One-Time Confirm Your Gift: Click on "add a payment method to give" -That's it! You will receive a confirmation email for your electronic gift. Thank you for your support and generosity. |
HISTORICAL STORIES
TESTIMONIAL LETTERS
A Letter from Emily Bruns
“we received this letter and a generous donation from Emily today”
A Letter from Alton Hemmelgarn
"we received another nice letter today from Alton"
“we received this letter and a generous donation from Emily today”
A Letter from Alton Hemmelgarn
"we received another nice letter today from Alton"
INSPIRING STORIES
PHOTOS
DEDICATION OF OUR FATHERS HOUSE
Want to learn more about the day? Read the following letter:
Our Fathers House is Blessed & Dedicated |
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