Dear Friend of Saint Andrew,
As we approach our annual Wearin’ the Green fundraiser, which includes the Fund-A-Need for the Ackermann Playlot, I would like to give you an update on the status of that project, as well as an update on two tangential projects.
Last month, four contractors submitted bids on the project. The lowest bid came in at $360,000 for the entire project, minus the removal of the underground storage tank, which is being funded with parish savings. The Facilities and Construction Committee (FCC) though has been analyzing ways we might be able to lower the total cost, hopefully to around $336,000.
But, while we have yet to settle on the total cost with a contractor, we have gone forward with one of the most important elements of the Ackermann Playlot. We have made a down payment and signed a contract with a manufacturer for the playground equipment that will be the centerpiece of the project. That is to say, we are committed to making this project a reality!
The FCC has also been working on getting 2 new boilers for the church and rectory, which were one of the designated projects of the Enrich, Expand, Grow Capital Campaign. By decentralizing our heating system and providing the church and rectory with its boilers, the hope was that the reduced strain on the school boilers would extend their life expectancy a few years. Upon further reflection, it doesn’t make sense not to be more proactive with the school boilers. We hope to at the very least purchase 2 additional boilers for the school, and deposit them in the school basement for installation at a later time, as funds become available.
This would require creating a temporary hole in the school building. Since the construction of the playlot will involve substantial excavation, we hope to save some money by depositing those boilers in the school basement while the playlot is under construction. We are still waiting for final numbers on the cost for the school boilers, but if everything works out, we should be able to use the remaining funds from the Capital Campaign to fund the new boilers for the school. If the estimate for the installation of the 2 new boilers for the school falls within our budget, then we would also be able to install them this year. If everything were to work out, instead of having only 2 buildings with new and more efficient heating, as originally planned, we would have all four buildings covered, without any additional fundraising!
The completion of the Ackermann Playlot in time for the start of next school year is the overarching goal by which all decisions on these projects are being made.
This is a very exciting time for our community. The playlot will be a visually impactful addition to our campus. This addition will integrate with the school’s programing, thus enticing prospective school families to join our community. And whenever our children play on the equipment, which will be in the shaped of a boat in honor of our patron, Saint Andrew, they will be reminded that he was a fisherman before Jesus invited him to follow him.
Last year, when we envisioned the Ackermann Playlot project we knew that we would have to raise the necessary funds over two years. Donations have continued to come in past last years Wearin’ the Green and thus far we have raised $133,545! Now that we are in our second year, we need your help to make this new addition to our community a reality. Please help us reach our goal by donating to the Fund-A-Need, either at Wearin’ the Green or online at www.standrew.org/playlot.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Sergio Romo
Pastor
The above photo is an artist’s rendering of a proposal for the new lot. The design is not final but will approximate the proposal.
