A plan has been put in place to raise money for the restoration of the former First Christian Church on the corner of O’Connell and Denny Streets.
A committee consisting of Georgia Caraway, Jean Norman, Monte Walker, Linda Wall, Dusty Williams and others are putting together a major live and silent auction to be held on November 7. Items have already been donated and the list continues to grow daily.
The Howe Enterprise is donating however many pages it takes to list all of the auction items between now and the event starting with page 12 in yesterday’s edition.
In three weeks, new siding will go on the 122-year-old building and it will have 1-1/4 inch foam and have an extensive warranty. The cost of the siding and installation came to $24,350 which includes the replacing of any rotted wood. The color of the structure will go back to its original white.
The amount was covered by the Collins family who had set up a memorial many years ago with the city for the purpose of renovation of the old church. It just so happened that the interest that the fund had accrued over the years matched what the cost of the siding came to be after The Siding Man, Inc. gave a 10 percent discount due to the community renovation project.
The money in the Collins Memorial Fund was kept in a CD at Independent Bank in Howe where Bank President Anna Anderson was more than helpful in making the smooth transition in order to start the process.
Great Days of Service, who kick-started this renovation project with their groundwork and brush removal, will be painting the fish scale wooden siding on the upper portion of the building. It will also be white to match the new siding.
The current exterior of the building is covered in asbestos shingles which will not be disturbed and will be covered over. According to current law in regards to the asbestos shingles, this procedure is within code and will be perfectly suited for future public use of the facility.
In regards to the end-result of the building, there are several options, but the most frequented conversation is always a wedding chapel. There is a coffee shop that is interested in the structure upon completion. With the City of Howe owning the building, they will have a strong say so in the end result.
The “Save the Church” committee, as they call themselves for the moment, will be seeking donation items from businesses and individuals for the live and silent auction to be held on O’Connell Street on November 7. The auction was a borrowed idea from the one that takes place in Muenster, Texas each year. Due to the donations and the auction bidding being 100 percent tax deductible, more money can be raised. Not to mention the cause that it goes to severely affects the community morale and turns an eyesore into what will be the bright spot of Downtown Howe.
Since 2013, Downtown Howe has been completely turned over with all new businesses and there is a possibility that a new structure will be built in between City Hall and Abby’s Restaurant depending on a sealed bidding that is taking place.
On the north side of the block sits the Howe Development Alliance, TLD Designs, LLC, Advantage Business Machines, Howe Mercantile and soon-to-be Texas Home Emporium. On the south side sits My Estrella Mexican Restaurant, Abby’s Restaurant, City Hall and the Howe Fire Station.
“He we are in a new era with a lot of excitement.” said Monte Walker, Director of Economic Development with the Howe Development Alliance. “We have a great looking downtown now and yet most of that is looked over when people drive by the old church. Having that fit in with the new look of our downtown area can only be regarded as a massive benefit to the city and will certainly help with our renewed image in Howe.”
“Save the Church committee” is about to ask for the community’s support to throw in a helping hand.
The exterior is about to look great and what will be left is the interior. But in Howe, it’s the inside that counts. That’s why something special is about to happen.
**Since this article, Salvage Junky has donated a quart of Junk Gypsy Chalk Paint, a furniture painting class and a “Football, Sweet Tea and Bulldogs” t-shirt, and a retro “Bulldog Country” t-shirt.
