September 2003

The North Room
gets a makeover
RENOVATION Ripping out the carpet and buffing the floor commences on Sept. 13. And that’s just for starters.

Huddled to the side of the sanctuary, the North Room has never been one of Saint Andrew’s finer architectural features. But that’s all about to change. By the end of the year, this haven for sobbing babies and local support groups will be outfitted with a new floor, new furniture, and a new color scheme. In keeping with our ongoing process of transformation, it will even be getting a new name: the Memorial Room.

The makeover begins on Saturday, Sept. 13, when a crew of volunteers will be convening at 9 a.m. to rip out the existing carpet and cabinets, sand the floor, and replace ceiling tiles that water has stained and warped over the years. Subsequent Saturdays will be devoted to installing new cabinetry, refinishing the valances, and plenty of painting; eventually, we will be adding a removable rug, glass panes for the doors, water works, and even a new sound system. Anyone who loves (or just likes) making and doing is invited to help turn this room into one of the many bright and beautiful things at Saint Andrew’s.

Another way to help is, of course, with your checkbook. Altogether, the refurbishment is expected to cost around $12,000. The Sunrise Sobriety group that meets daily in the North Room is contributing new chairs and we have raised $1800 more, but that leaves a lot of room in the piggy bank. Renovations can only proceed in pace with the money to support them, so if you would like to contribute to the “All Things Bright and Beautiful” account, please send a check to the church office or place it in the Sunday offering plate with “North Room” on the memo line. And, speaking of memos, one of our intentions is to remember those no longer with us, whose names will become a permanent part of the new room. Memorial contributions are thus especially appropriate and welcome.

But, you ask, what will the Memorial Room actually look like? Wonder no more. An artist’s rendering will soon appear in the Narthex, where reconstruction updates will also be posted. As for the all-important question of the color scheme, that has yet to be decided, so anyone who has strong feelings on the subject still has a chance to be heard. Alternative color samples are now on display in the Narthex, with a box nearby eager to accept comments and suggestions until Sept. 14.

In other words, our future Memorial Room is not just a room but a dynamic and truly communal work-in-progress. How can you become part of it?
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