Dear Friends of St. Mary's

            The stained glass windows are one of the most beautiful parts of St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church. After 165+ years, these windows have been exposed to some pretty harsh weather and they are now in need of some tender loving care. Some windows are more in need of repair than others, but eventually they will all need work. The Friends of St. Mary's Committee is currently meeting with some experts in this line of work to determine what needs to be done and which ones are of the highest priority.

            As you may well know, this will be an expensive undertaking and we are looking to our extended group of "Friends of St Mary's" for support of this endeavor. We have a rough estimate of $3,000.00 per window for the 20 windows in the main part of the church. In addition, there is the large window over the main altar as well as one small window on each side of the altar. This is a staggering project to take on and we solicit your thoughts and suggestions as well as your pocketbook as we proceed. The names of the original donors will of course be maintained and repainted if necessary. In addition, we will put a plaque by each window restored giving the names of individuals, families or organizations that donate for the restoration.

         At this time, we are asking each of you to give some thought about the possibility of helping in some way. Maybe as the holiday season approaches, you will be having extended family gatherings, giving you the opportunity to discuss the situation. Since this will be an expensive undertaking, maybe your family would be willing and able to take on the restoration of a window as a family project. If this is not appropriate for your family, please consider making an individual donation toward the overall cost.

        We are also looking to organizations that may wish to restore a window in honor of their members. If you are aware of any group that you believe may be interested, please share this letter. To view the windows, you may check our website:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~florenceny/savechurch.htm

        The work will be accomplished as funds dictate with work starting on the windows having the most serious need.

        All checks should be made payable to "Friends of St. Mary's" and mailed to Bank of America, 57 Main Street, Camden NY 13316. Please note "windows" on your check. We also request that you complete the enclosed donation form and return with your check.