By Robert Lucke
Committees are meeting and plans for fund raising are being formulated to build a chapel at the Northern Montana Care Center, according to the director of religious activities.
"A committee working under the Havre Ministerial Association has met and has set some goals," said Ila McClenahan. "We began the work of raising money for the chapel."
The group needs to raise $300,000 by June 2, 2002.
"At that point we will be ready to contact the architect and go from there," she said.
The building will be connected to the south end of the present building with a windowed altar showing a view of the Bear Paw Mountains.
"The chapel will seat about 80," McClenahan said. "It will have an outside entrance for funerals so that friends can enter without going through the center."
Right now the committee is working on a brochure to include with church bulletins all over the area and also distribute to clubs and community organizations.
"The purpose of this brochure is not to beg for money but to inform and ask for prayers," McClenahan said.
The chapel committee is made up of local ministers, community members and Care Center staff members.
"Everyone on the committee is enthused. Especially the staff," she said.
One of the first fund-raising activities is a cook book. Committee members are looking for recipes from area people along with current and former residents of the care center. Along with that, other members are planning a giant garage sale as a fund-raising activity.
"And we are working with people who want to donate living memorials to the project," McClenahan said. "The very first living memorial was from the family of Christina Walker. All the money we raise goes to the Havre Ministerial Association who have set up a designated chapel fund account."
Those who want more information can call McClenahan at 262-1956.
So will this new chapel ever get built? Can the committee raise the needed funds?
"Of course they can," said McClenahan, smiling broadly. "I can feel it in my heart. And in my bones too."
