Robbinsville – The Old Mother Church is still raising funds for much-needed repairs.
Robbinsville United Methodist Church Pastor Eric Reece sat down with the Robbinsville Tourism Authority at its Jan. 25 meeting, to discuss the progress made thus far with the restoration project.
The Old Mother Church was founded in May of 1872. The first restoration of the building was 100 years later, in 1972 and now, the church is due for more.
Phase 1 of the repairs will cost around $82,000. This estimate is just for the structural integrity and making sure the building is up to code. To pay for these expenses, Reece has reached out to the Sacred Foundation grant organization. One of the grants is a $5,000 planning fund (not received yet) that will partially pay for the architectural fees.
The other funding is a capital dollar-for-dollar grant, which could net up to $15,000. If Old Mother Church can raise $15,000, Sacred Places will match it.
“The goal is to preserve the building for the future,” said Reece.
Hicks concert
In other news, the May 7 Taylor Hicks concert has an update.
The stage that Hicks – who won Season 5 of “American Idol” in 2006 – will perform on has been rented, at the cost of $12,500. The price tag includes sound, lighting, a backdrop and the crew to run it. The stage will require a $6,000 down payment to hold it.
According to Robbinsville Band Booster President Allison Grooms, the rental is a much better deal than outright buying the stage, which would have been an “astronomical price.”
Craig McGriff is set to open for Hicks.
Tickets are now available for purchase at townofrobbinsville.com. Stadium seats are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. A $50 VIP ticket is also being offered, which will allow viewers to be seated closest to the stage on the field. If anyone wishes to stand on the field, a $35 VIP ticket is available.
Vendors will be on-hand for the performance, and the car show earlier that day.
A $5,000 budget has been sat aside for the car show.
A “Poker Run” is also in the works, to help with visitor circulation.
Additionally, the annual fishing derby has been moved to Saturday, June 4.