Blessed Sacrament Community Completes Major Gym Upgrade
By Tina Ries
Parishioners and parents, assisted by an aspiring Eagle Scout and school alumni, has made a difference to Blessed Sacrament Catholic School.
It all began last spring, with parents and parishioners who donated to Blessed Sacrament Catholic School’s annual Big Event Auction. In all, $33,000 was raised in a special appeal for upgrades to the gymnasium at the school, at Montview Boulevard and Elm Street. Father Chris Hellstrom, the church pastor, says improvements were needed in order to re-engage the gym’s original purpose when the school opened in 1951, “to be fully-functioning for the development of sports and fine arts.”
Hellstrom began by purchasing and installing panels for noise reduction, a new sound system and new curtains for the stage. Bids were also obtained for necessary roof repair.
Then, project coordinator and school parent, Alisa Martin, who has a finance background, decided to get involved. She organized a committee of parents to help with the project. She says she saw it as a morale-building opportunity. She believed, by working on this project, she could, “help show that a financially-strapped organization could still get things done as a community, if you pull together.”
Even with the funds raised, the budget was small compared to all the work that needed to be done. The timing was perfect. Class of 2013 Blessed Sacrament Catholic School graduate, Jeremy Mays, 15, was looking to do an Eagle Scout service project and heard about the improvements to the gym.
Mays approached Martin and school principal Greg Kruthaupt with an offer to help. They told him they needed help with the painting. This also would involve sanding and spot priming. About Mays, Martin said, “God sent him to us. [The troop] did so much for us!”
In order to fulfill his Eagle Scout project requirements, Mays says he had to plan something that left a permanent result. That included leading the project, and enlisting the help of others, to whom he would delegate tasks delegation skills. “It could not be like a chore,” he said.
Mays organized eight adults and 13 scouts in Explorer Troop #376, including the troop’s Eagle advisor to help the effort. Mays had do all the sign-up sheets and follow-up in ensure the members would be there when the day came to do the project. He also enlisted the help of former Blessed Sacrament and recent East High School graduate and Eagle Scout Nico Gallegos.
The group spent two days painting the baseboards of the gym, the ceiling of the stage, bathroom doors, and the storage shed in the gym. “I’ll never take very tall and painted areas for granted again,” said Mays. “It was very difficult.”
Many parents and parish members also stepped up. In November, about 20 parents spent a day scrubbing walls and bleachers, cleaning and sweeping floors and cleaning the stage, preparing it to be used for school performances and ceremonies. In addition, the window fans have been cleaned and framed, the stage and gym lights have been fixed or replaced, doors have been repaired, and a new water fountain has been installed.
“We are overcome with gratitude for all that the community has done for our children,” Kruthaupt said.
Future plans for improvement to the facility include adding a climbing wall, adding more sports banners, and repairing the bleachers. A gym dedication ceremony is planned this spring for parent volunteer Jim Harvey, who passed away last fall. Harvey served as the school’s athletic director for many years.