On Saturday March 16, 20 volunteers headed to the New Kingston Presbyterian Church on Main Street in New Kingston to gut the basement of the building.
The New Kingston Valley Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to getting New Kingston neighbors together, is sponsoring the rehab of the old church basement, together with the MNK congregation, to turn it into a community center open to all in the New Kingston area, as well as continuing the 100+ years use of the basement for baptism, wedding and life celebrations.
Victor and Francine Lipko led the demolition crew and provided them with lunch. Victor Lipko, an elder of the Presbyterian Church, is spearheading the project. The walls and ceiling tiles were torn out and wearing hazmat suits and masks, volunteers filled an entire dumpster.
A previous step to creating the community center was taken last summer when workers excavated around the church to keep water away from its walls. The next step will be to have plans drawn up to raise funds for the project and solicit bids from contractors.
For more information about the community center project, contact Lipko at NKVA@catskill.net or 845-586-3797.
