Committee moving ahead with chapel By Steve Arveson For The News-Chronicle Plans to build a chapel near the grounds where a 118-year-old church once stood are forging ahead, organizers say. One month after SS. Cyril and Methodius Church was razed, former church members announced plans to build a chapel on land adjacent to the former church property. The building will be as much a place for the community to gather and pray as it will be a monument to the church that once stood only yards away. The chapel will be built using the time, talent and donations of former parishioners and will be constructed on donated land. And as soon as the temperatures rise, work will begin. "We have acquired our lease from Rick Schwartz for the property and we have modified our drawings to include a steeple," Committee Chairman Roger Ostrenga said. No final drawings have yet been made and Ostrenga said the committee probably will alter plans as they proceed. "Because we are going to do this building in phases, some of the plans may change in the designing of it," Ostrenga said. The preliminary plan includes a 28-by-60 building located near the cemetery at the corner of State 29 and CountyT in Poland. No cost estimate has been drafted for the project and Ostrenga said the committee may not know the total cost until the project is completed. "If you try to put a dollar amount to it, it's hard," he said. "So much of it is going to be based on our own work which will cover a lot of the construction costs. This is all going to be based in the contributions we receive to build the chapel." Ostrenga said there have been some monetary commitments made and he expects more will be donated in the way of money and effort when ground is broken later this year. "Our plan right now is for a spring startup on the foundation. We're going to be doing it piecemeal. We're going to have a central plan, but it's going to be done through bits and pieces of donations of time and material," he said. "Once we get the foundation in the ground, that will stimulate a lot of what we're trying to do. People like to see things started. There has been so much talk, but once it gets started, that will help the contribution end of it." Ostrenga said fund-raisers are in the works, but no solid plans have been made. The committee also have drafted a mission statement for its project. The statement reads: "The faith community of SS. Cyril and Methodius is committed to continuing the spiritual bonding of fellow Christians with plan to provide a place to gather, pray and uphold our heritage for future generations." The committee hopes to use some pieces of the razed church in the construction of its chapel, Ostrenga said. "Right now we're waiting for spring," he said. "We don't want to start anything this winter but we do plan on breaking ground and starting the foundation as soon as it dries up well enough to work."