Sacred Heart to have celebration and fundraiser
COSHOCTON – Sacred Heart Church’s upcoming event is about more than refreshments and entertainment. It’s a celebration of faith, a way to reach out into the community and a fundraiser.
The church will celebrate the 115th anniversary of its dedication with its beer, brats and band event featuring music by The Booze Brothers. The fun will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 20, on the church’s north lawn right after the regular 5 p.m. mass. Parish members and the community are welcome to come and enjoy food, fun and fellowship. Proceeds from the event will benefit the church window restoration project.
“Several years ago an inspection of the windows was done,” said Father Bill Hritsko. “We got the information and set it aside because at the time fixing the windows was not an emergency. It’s not an emergency now either, but when an inspection of all our buildings was (recently) done we were told we should consider the repair and restoration of the (church) windows.”
The church has 27 windows/openings that were installed in 1898.
“This is something that has been on my mind for a number of years,” Hritsko said. “I don’t want to lose the treasure that these windows are.”
The initial proposal the church received on fixing the windows in 2010 was for $39,000. Trying to replace them would cost a minimum of $250,000.
“It’s about more than repair,” Hritsko said. “It’s also about restoration because the paint is disintegrating. There are people with no faces and decorations that have flaked off.”
Upgrades also would be made to protect the windows from the elements and allow better light to pass through them. Hritsko estimates that the project could now cost more than $50,000 and is in the process of getting a more definite figure.
Other fundraisers such as the opportunity to adopt a window and purchase portraits of the church are being organized.
The public is encouraged to call the parish office at 622-8817 to learn more about the window restoration project and to simply come enjoy itself on July 20.
“The Booze Brothers are a DJ party crew and I think they play just about everything,” Hritsko said. “They are locally known and fun entertainers with the music.”
Attendees also will enjoy Johnsville Brats and Nathan’s Hotdogs.
“They will be $2 each and the Lions will be doing the grilling for us,” Hritsko said. “We also will have all the fixings and chips. We are trying to keep it simple since this is our first time doing something like this.”
Beer will be $2 a can and soft drinks and chips will both be a $1.
“You will be able to get a beer, brat and chips for $5 and feed a family of four for $20,” Hritsko said.
Plans also are being made to have cornhole games set up.
“We are hoping to make this an annual event,” Hritsko said.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Faith
