FARMINGTON – Eleven years after the initial idea for a People Lifter came to fruition, Henderson Memorial Baptist Church joined by members of the co-inhabiting Summit Faith Church, opened its new door to the device on Sunday, Oct. 21.
The new, street-level addition to the side of the church includes a stairwell down to the Fellowship Hall as well as up to the second floor, and the People Lifter- a Ver-Tran lift that can transport two people at a time.
“This will be a new tool for us to welcome people from all walks of life,” Pastor Susan Crane said at the celebration service Sunday afternoon.
Crane said that the need for the lift became more and more obvious as the average age of members increased over time. When longtime member Ted Lefebvre fell trying to get into the church, everyone had to learn how to help him use his walker and eventually his wheelchair, to get to service.
“We all had to learn how to get his chair up the ramp, which wasn’t up to code, but he never missed a service,” Crane said.
The People Lifter was installed in memory of Lefebvre, who passed away last summer, and Dr. Arlene Low who had the original idea for the lift, and who dedicated funds to the church with her passing in 2007. Dr. Low told Crane that she didn’t want to tell the church how to spend the money, but she thought a more handicapped accessible entrance was needed.
Funds for the project were raised through donations, endowments and various fundraisers, coming to a total of $28,000. The goal of the project is $32,000- three times the amount that the entire church cost to build in the 1920s according to Crane.
The service recognized the significance in the building’s history that the installation of the People Lifter will mark, and thanked the effort of all those that contributed to the project. The addition was contracted by John Bell, owner of Sandy River Builders and a deacon in Summit Faith.
Nice article, Amanda. BUT…you seem to take liberties with facts. This is the third time I’ve seen an article with
some erroneous information. You must do your research.
This particular building was built roughly 1938, after a fire gutted the church that was build after the fire of 1887.
Not a big deal, you say? Well, think of it this way. Every error produced by the media contributes to the mess people make of history.
Its AMBER, Nancy. Must be one of your liberties. Find something positive to say, somewhere, somehow.
Wonderful addition!