The debris was cleaned up, hauled away; the crane left, the boom lift left and two of the three dumpsters were gone.  While looking at the church, it appeared there was no work taking place, but I should know better.  The structural engineers were making inspections and calculations.  The architect was preparing a set of blue print drawings.  The rafters were ordered last week on Monday.  I had meetings with the architect, mechanical and electrical engineers, interior consultants; determining what had to be replaced, what we could keep, what was damaged but yet too good to be hauled to the landfill.  Yet, with all the meetings, my patience was running short wanting more to happen.  Then . . . Murphy’s Law played a role and even though everything was ready for reconstruction to begin, we received 8” of new heavy, wet snow.  Once again Rich, Bruce and Leonard came to my office to the rescue.  We discussed all the snow coming down and they decided we had to get the snow removed from the parish center. 
 
After the snow mostly stopped on Friday afternoon, I made a few calls.  Sr. Lucy, help!  Dean, bring Braeden and Zoie with you, Paul, Bruce and others.  All together there were nine people that shoveled snow into big, blue recycling tubs and wheeled them out the back door.  It took a couple of hours however everyone was free in plenty of time to go to the KC’s fish fry.
 
Monday morning the crane will arrive and at the same time a semi-trailer full of newly constructed truss rafters.  Jay Cournia from Comstock Construction tells me that come next Friday night we will have a new roof which will be waterproof.  They will have the wood sheeting nailed in place and a rubber membrane called “ice and water shield” will be laid over the total new roof.  It will not be shingled yet, that will come later.  Also, mid-week, Comstock will begin to cut access holes in various critical locations in the existing roof and will be re-enforcing the existing rafters over the sacristy, gathering space, office, youth room & kitchen as well as the education wing.  When that is all complete, the structure will be declared safe and we can return to worship at our home.
 
I should say, even though it appeared nothing was happening last week, many people were keeping very busy preparing for the construction beginning Monday.
 
I would like to thank all the men that have come to help when timing was critical.  On May 1, the guild sponsored “Salad Bar Luncheon” will be held at the Gathering Place at St Joe’s Church.  Rather than cancel it, which would have been the easy solution, Sharon Menge and Judy Hoffman are chairing the event and they really need helpers to host this event.  They need salads, ladies and men to work the dining room, kitchen, dishwasher (same as ours at St Francis) and clean-up.  Please step up and volunteer to help these ladies keep the traditions of St Francis de Sales alive.  Don’t let a roof collapse cause us to have an excuse!  Thanks, until next week when we have a roof!
 
Swede Stelzer
Parish Admin. Coordinator