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newlenoxpatriot.com news
the New Lenox Patriot | September 28, 2017 | 5
Groundbreaking marks start of $6M project
Commons space, airconditioning
in the
works for Providence
Amanda Stoll, Assistant Editor
What started as an idea
more than two years ago is
on its way to being a shiny,
new addition to a nearly
100-year-old school.
Providence Catholic High
School announced its capital
campaign to raise $6 million
in funds for a project that
would entail a new commons
and cafeteria area, as
well as air conditioning in
the classrooms.
On Sept. 19, that idea got
a little closer to reality at the
school’s ceremonial groundbreaking
ceremony.
Faculty, staff, donors, parents
and students all gathered
in the parking lot — and future
foundation — between
the school building and the
athletic facilities, enduring
the sun and heat to make
time for prayer and gratitude
surrounding the project.
“Don’t think of it as an
expense, think of it as an investment
for the future and
investment for our children,”
Larry Walsh, PCHS parent
and Will County executive,
said during the ceremony.
“And, what better investment
[than to] invest in our
children and education at the
same time.”
The Rev. Richard Mc-
Grath, Order of Saint Augustine
and the school’s
president, offered his vision
of the new commons and
cafeteria area for the school,
calling it the “Grand Central
Station” for the school.
“It’s about seeing what’s
not here, seeing what the
possibilities are, what can
be, what might be,” Mc-
Grath said.
The addition, which is to
be called the LaVerne and
Dorothy Brown Student
Commons, is the largest portion
of the project, which
also includes installing air
conditioning in the classrooms.
“The Browns have helped
us realize our dreams of creating
a wonderful space for
students, parents and alumni
together,” McGrath said during
the ceremony. “It’s going
to be the kids’ Grand Central
Station, open almost day and
night, around the clock, and
around the calendar with lots
of glass, lots of nice windows,
unlike the [current]
Providence cafeteria, which
has none. It’s going to be
nice and light, and bright
and positive and warm and
welcoming.”
He thanked Dorothy “Dotty”
Brown for her contributions,
as well as the Kaminski
family, who were also
major donors for the project,
and noted that more than 600
people had donated to the
project so far.
Although the construction
is projected to cost $6 million,
Providence continues
to fundraise as part of the
capital campaign, which has
so far brought in $5.5 million
in support.
“This building will be
used by every student, every
day as their gathering
place, a place of light, peace,
welcome and comfort,” Mc-
Grath said.
After the ceremony, in remarks
to The Patriot, Campaign
Chairperson Steve
Morrissette said the project
had “strong support” from
the beginning, and getting
input from the Providence
community was an important
part of the planning process.
“It was very loud and clear
that the community thought
what we needed was a good
student center with better
Capital Campaign Chairman Steve Morrissette speaks during the Sept. 19 ceremonial
groundbreaking at Providence Catholic High School. Amanda Stoll/22nd Century Media
eating space,” Morrissette
said, “so the students could
have a gathering space.”
He also noted that the
new 21,800-square-foot
space will allow Providence
to consolidate the school’s
current four lunch periods,
making more time for other
academics during the day.
The project has so far
gone smoothly, according
to Morrissette, but every undertaking
of such magnitude
still has its challenges.
“It’s always a challenge to
design a building of this size
and complexity,” he said.
“... Construction is a challenge.
This is still a working
school. It will take a year to
a year-and-a-half to build
the building, so we’ve got to
keep the school running at
the same time we’re building
the building.”
The biggest challenge,
according to McGrath, has
been fundraising. He said
with construction costs being
so high, it shows how
much people believe in the
school and it’s mission that
they are willing to put so
much towards the project.
“I think people are very
pleased with the product that
Providence has produced
over these last 100 years,”
McGrath said following the
ceremony. “And, therefore,
they are willing to support it
for future generations.”
Since the cafeteria and
commons space will be
an addition to the school,
Morrissette said the day-today
operations will not be
largely impacted, aside from
parking and traffic, which
will have to be adjusted in
light of the construction.
In addition to the aesthetic
aspect of the addition, with
its large windows and bright
atmosphere, Morrissette said
the building project is about
more than just providing a
better place for students to
eat their lunch.
“It’s important in our
Christian community to
have a sense of gathering
and community, and we
wanted the space to encourage
gathering and community,”
he said. “We think
the space will be used [for]
more than just student dining.
It will be used for evening
events ... We wanted a
space where [the students]
could study after school, be
with friends, if necessary get
some nourishment, and so
that sense of gathering space
and welcoming.”
Donors Charlie and David
Kaminski, residents of
Frankfort and parents of two
PCHS graduates, echoed
those sentiments and said the
school and students are “deserving”
of the project.
“[Our sons] loved it, we
loved it and it was something
that we just wanted
to do, and give to, give our
time, our treasure, and I’m
so excited even though our
kids are never going to enjoy
it,” Charlie Kaminski said.
“Everyone loves Providence.
It’s a family, it’s a
community and I always tell
people, when they ask me if
I love Providence? Yes, and
I love the faculty and the
staff, but more, I love the
kids,” she said. “Because
when I come here, and I do
things with the kids or walk
down the hall, it just makes
me warm inside. ... That just
goes to show the effect that
Providence has on the students,
and that’s the most
important thing.”
David Kaminski said the
friendships his children
formed while at Providence
are lasting friendships, and
those friends have become
an extension of their family.
In addition to the numerous
donors and supporters,
New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann
and the Rev. Joseph
Siegel, auxiliary bishop
with the Diocese of Joliet,
attended and spoke during
the ceremony.
Though McGrath highlighted
that he would like to
see the project completed by
the beginning of the 2018-
2019 school year, he noted
that could be a lofty goal.
The project is expected to
take between a year and a
year and a half to complete.
“We believe and know that
Jesus Christ is the reason for
our school. We continue to
thrive here in New Lenox
by making a difference in
the lives of all the students
with whom we are in touch,”
McGrath said during the ceremony.
“... Our mission is:
“Providence Catholic High
School embraces the gospel
of Jesus Christ and an
atmosphere of acceptance,
respect and love.”