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St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Florence, Oneida County, NY

Preserving the past for future generations
1845 - 2003

Daily Sentinel newspaper, Rome, NY
Published: Monday February 4, 2008
 

outside church
HISTORIC SETTING — One of the oldest churches in the state, the St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Florence is in a 174-year-old site that is in need of significant repairs. (Sentinel photo by John Clifford)
church basement
A FIRMER FOUNDATION — Jason McGuinness of K.J.R. Contracting Co. of Camden does some mortar work on old bricks in the basement of St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Florence. Repairs in the basement of the historic, 174-year-old church also include installing laminated beams that are called "microlam." The repairs are linked with a fundraising drive to pay for restorations and future maintenance at the site. (Sentinel photo by John Clifford)
inside church
OF FAITH AND WORSHIP — The St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Florence was closed as a parish in mid-2003, but has remained available for weddings, funerals and prayer. (Sentinel photo by John Clifford)


By DAVE GYMBURCH Staff writer

TOWN OF FLORENCE — Structural basement repairs to the historic St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church have begun, and a fundraising drive to restore and maintain the building has surpassed $90,000.

But with basement repairs estimated to cost between $60,000 and $70,000, and the fund drive still well below a $250,000 goal, organizers are hoping to narrow the gap by an additional $90,000 by the end of February.

A donor who wants to remain anonymous had offered to provide $60,000 if a matching amount could be raised by Feb. 28, said Dorothy Fey, publicity chair for the Friends of St. Mary’s Church committee; the offer was made in late August, and the drive still must raise another $30,000 to reach the matching amount.

To help generate more money, new fundraisers include a raffle for a seven-night vacation at a cottage in Ireland plus $1,500 cash toward travel expenses, with a raffle-ticket price of $100 and a drawing on Feb. 16. The cottage was donated for the vacation by "an individual living out of state with ties to Florence," Fey said. In addition, a sketch of St. Mary’s by artist Garrett McCarthy of Henderson is available in a print of 200 copies that will be given to donors of $500 or more.

The Ireland vacation raffle reflects the far-reaching scope of the fundraising drive, which began about a year ago and has received more than 470 donations from local sources as well as outside New York. The need for the drive developed after the Syracuse Diocese noted severe structural deficiencies in the 174-year-old church building and raised the possibility of demolition. One of the oldest churches in the state, St. Mary’s was closed as a parish in mid-2003 but has remained available for weddings, funerals and prayer.

The Diocese in November 2006 had given parishioners about six months to determine a long-range fundraising plan. Fey said the Diocese has set no further deadlines for the church committee’s fundraising or for making repairs at the site. She previously said that the $250,000 goal includes estimates for work needed, annual expenses, and future repairs that may arise.

The basement repairs that began in late December at the church have included new support beams and masonry work, among the steps.

More information about the fund drive is on the St. Mary’s Web site at freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~florenceny/index.htm.
This page last updated: February 9, 2008
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