The angel atop the Emporia Senior Center came down Thursday morning — the angel was to stay atop the roof until the center had enough money to repair the roof that has caused the tarping of several areas due to the leaks throughout the center. The center now has enough money thanks to grants and donations to replace the roof.
The leaks in the senior center have prompted the tarping of the stage area and the library area inside the center. The roof, which is more than 20 years old, has been leaking heavily for about a year after vandals damaged the building and roof. The roof was patched about eight years ago, but is no longer holding the water out.
“At some point enough has to be enough,” said Susan Riley, director of the Emporia Senior Center.
Riley said the new roof will be made possible by several funding sources including the Jones Foundation for $50,000; the Emporia Community Foundation for $3,000; Messiah Lutheran Church for $7,000; Lyon County, $3,000; Sertoma Train for $1,000; and more than $7,000 in community donations. The senior center is about $8,000 short of its goal but has requested a grant from the Trusler Foundation for that amount. Riley said she hopes to hear about that soon.
Work on the roof will begin on Monday, Riley said. It will take one to two weeks from beginning to end depending on what is found after the roof is torn off. There are about three layers to get through.
Riley was excited Thursday morning as she finally lowered the angel from the roof. The angel was made by a friend of hers, Vietnam Vet, Doc Cookson, of Hamilton. Cookson died a few years back suddenly. Riley said when the roof became critical she put the angel atop the senior center because she knew Cookson would have liked that idea. Cookson welded the large angel himself.
The angel is now down, which means the senior center will soon have a new roof.
“It truly has been a community effort,” Riley said. “I am utterly amazed.”
admireed (anonymous) says...
What is the reason this roof is being purchased from out of town company with money raised here?
May 22, 2009 at 1:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )