Dear Fellow Parishioners:
Historic Church structures like Our Lady of Lourdes are very difficult and expensive to maintain. Our building is in dire need of repair. We were fortunate to receive a $175,000 matching grant which means to receive the grant, we need to match the $175,000. With this grant we will repair existing damage to the masonry and brickwork to preserve the integrity of the property and safeguard the structure to prevent further deterioration. Through various appeals we have collected over half of the funds needed to achieve our goal. We still have a way to go.
On a personal note, my husband, Marty Hrabik, passed away a little over a year ago. He loved Our Lady of Lourdes. I know he would have wanted the Church to survive and would have worked tirelessly on this project. I thought that the perfect way to honor him would be to appeal to everyone who knew him by asking for donations for this project in his memory.
My appeal went to parishioners and non-parishioners alike. People who knew and loved Marty. I had people thanking me because this was the one thing they could still do for him.
Many of you have relatives who have passed away or moved away who loved and cherished Our Lady of Lourdes. They may have been baptized, married, or had a funeral service here. They may have gone to school here. Our Lady of Lourdes has touched the lives of many people in profound ways. I am asking you to make an appeal in the memory or honor of a loved one who was touched by the Church. Reach out to as many people as possible. It is a lovely way to cherish your loved one.
Following is a template of the appeal I made for Marty. I sent it out as an email, but it could have been a written letter. You do not need to use the template. You can modify it to fit your needs. If you would like me to email you the template, please send me an email at hrabikk2@gmail.com.
Thank you for your help.
Kathy Hrabik