You'll be amazed at our progress when you see the pictures of the current
status of the project. Keep your eyes on this spot for some exciting news!
The permits have come in, the concrete footings have been poured,
the flooring has gone in, and the walls are going up!
It won't be long now . . .
be sure that your pledges and donations
get in before the end of the year.
Your support is needed now more than ever!
Thank you in advance for your generous support.
THE DEMOLITION AND BUILDING PROGRESS:
We are so close to completely raising the Phase 1 goal of $180,000 (please read below to discover more about the amazing progress God has allowed us to experience through the Fundraising Process...and how you can help us close the gap!) that we believe we are to step out in faith and begin the building process . . . which actually begins with a demolition process!
7/3/08 UPDATE: Students from Bethany's High School and College ministries invested a week in demo'ing the interior of the buildings. You wouldn't believe how these buildings look today! Our electricians have been working hard to get everything in order for the next stage of construction.
Our eleven-week window for demo and construction began June 16. (We needed many miracles during the Fundraising process -- pray that we receive just as many during the Building process!)
We're committed now...so we need your financial help -- and your prayers -- and your volunteer labor -- more than ever!
Thank you in advance!
God has used Jeremiah 32:17 to challenge us all at West Covina Christian School and Bethany Church -- so we have adopted this as our Scripture Theme for "Capture the Vision"!
To replace our existing Junior High buildings. They were called the "temporary move-on buildings" when they arrived in the 1970's...and today they are old, tired, and cramped when filled with the bodies of dozens of intelligent, energetic Junior High students.
We began the fundraising process in April 2007. We estimated that the cost of two replacement modular buildings would be around $300,000.
Initially we planned on removing the existing buildings and then, for financial reasons, bringing in modular buildings as replacements. As we began consulting with our architect and contractor, we looked at the existing buildings and realized that the foundation and basic "bone structure" of the existing buildings was rock-solid. We began wondering: what if we could utilize our existing foundation and structure, and construct our new buildings on our existing footprint? Below you see the difference between our existing floor plan and our proposed floor plan. Essentially we would be connecting the two buildings in the center by extending the 8th Grade building to the west, and then extending the 7th Grade building to the south.
The result would be an increase in usable square footage for each classroom from around 650 square feet to over a 1,000 sq. ft. -- that's an overall increase from 2,619 sq. ft. to 4,009 sq. ft.! That's over a 50% increase in classroom size -- and we can do this for less than it would cost to bring in modular buildings . . . plus the quality of the buildings will be much better!
We split the project into two phases: Phase 1 would be the rebuilding of the four classrooms; and Phase 2 would be the addition of one more classroom to house our Upper ILC students (Individualized Learning Center), as seen below.
Our progress towards the goal has been nothing short of a miracle. In just a year's time, through the generous, sacrificial investment of school families, church families, WCCS alumni and community leaders, we raised over $100,000! We are going to try to keep the following graph updated weekly in order to allow you to track our progress. 10/14/08 UPDATE: Wow...SO many people have given such generous and sacrificial gifts! Look at this progress! Can you help us finish raising the necessary funds?
FURTHER 6/16/08 UPDATE: Students from Bethany's High School and College ministries have kicked off a week of demo'ing the interior of the buildings! Our eleven-week window for demo and construction began TODAY! We're committed now...so we need your financial help -- and your prayers -- more than ever! Thank you in advance!
However, we really need your help right now.
On April 15, we sent you a letter letting you know that if we could raise the remaining $60,000 (towards our Phase 1 goal of $180,000) within the next month or so, we would be able to get these buildings up and running in time for the start of school in the Fall of 2008!
So we issued this challenge:
- if every church family or individual could each give $100,
- and every school family could each give $100,
- and every WCCS alumni could each give $100,
...by June 1 we would have the additional $60,000 needed to start construction!
Your response has been remarkable. In the past month, around $16,000 has come in . . . and with people just now receiving their "Economic Stimulas Package" from the government, we know more is on the way.
We have put our money where our mouth is: each of our families is donating an additional $1,000 towards our goal, in addition to what we have already given.
Our students are doing their part: some of our classes began saving their coins . . . and they have contributed over $5,000 so far!
Our teachers believe in this project:
- a few weeks back, our Junior High teachers pooled some of their hard-earned money and presented the school with a check for $650!
- a number of our teachers have taken up our $100 challenge!
- just last week, a number of our teachers and staff worked a four-hour shift at a local McDonalds -- and earned $700 towards the project!
But without your help, the dream cannot become a reality this summer.
So please, we invite you to prayerfully consider making a donation of $100 or more -- or less for that matter, because every single dollar counts. So whether you can join our challenge for $100, or whether you are able to give a lot more, or whether you can't give $100 at this time but still want to make a contribution towards the goal, we welcome your participation in a Dream that's so big it will only be possible if God is in it!
Grateful for your partnership so far, we are...
building for the next generation,
Senior Pastor, Bethany Church
Principal, West Covina Christian School
P.S. WCCS Family, the entire offering taken during this coming Thursday night’s Spring Musical (May 15) will go towards "Capture the Vision"! 5/16/08 UPDATE: Thank you, WCCS Family! The May 15 Spring Musical Offering was $2,515.71, plus another $200 toward the kids' coin drive!
P.P.S. Bethany Family, we will be taking a special "over-and-above" offering this coming Sunday (May 18) to go towards “Capture the Vision”! 5/19/08 UPDATE: Thank you, Bethany Family! The special May 18 "over-and-above" Offering was $7,102!
P.P.P.S. WCCS Alumni, we need your help! Please send in your gift ASAP to help us “Capture the Vision” — Phase 1 of it, at least! — starting this summer!