An eyesore no more

ANNA, Ill. -- Five years ago, the roof on St. Anne's Episcopal Church was in danger of collapsing.

Water leaked through holes in the roof and destroyed the hardwood floor in the one-room church. Raccoons and squirrels made their home in St. Anne's.

Some said the church on Main Street was an eyesore that would never be repaired.

But thanks to the efforts of a Union County not-for-profit organization, a restored St. Anne's Episcopal Church was recently honored with the Governor's Home Town Award, taking first place for general projects in its population bracket.

Before the church was refurbished, community members like Mona Diefenbach and Linda Hileman drove along the busiest street in Anna and winced at the sight of the oldest church in the city.

St. Anne's Episcopal Church was built for $600 in 1886. It was abandoned in the 1970s because of declining membership and the rising cost of operation and maintenance.

Frank and Linda LaFoon, who lived next door to the church, bought the building from the congregation in 1977 with the idea of turning it into an apartment complex. But that idea never turned into a reality.

The LaFoons decided they would tear down the historic church because they didn't know what else to do with it.

Before that could happen, members of a Union County not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving historical structures stepped into the picture.

In 2001, the LaFoons deeded the property over to PAST, which stands for Promoting Appreciation for Structural Treasures.

Diefenbach, president of PAST, said the organization's goal was to refurbish St. Anne's.

"This was something people drove by all the time, and we hated to see it get torn down," Diefenbach said.

The 11-member board knew the project wouldn't be easy. Or cheap.

"We had people tell us we were crazy and that it would cost a fortune," said Hileman, a PAST board member.

Structurally, the church wasn't in bad shape, although the roof and floors needed to be replaced.

So PAST members began holding fund-raisers.

One fund-raiser netted more than $8,000. The group provided Christmas wreaths to local businesses, who decorated them, and the wreaths were auctioned off.

After the first funds were raised, members of PAST got started on the restoration project, which would take them more than four years to complete.

"We tried to do as much as we could by ourselves," said board member Judy Smith. "We were very lucky to get the community to support this project."

More than 200 people were involved in restoring the St. Anne's.

For four years, the group continued raising funds and applied for various grants. More than $100,000 was raised.

Bob Crain, who worked at least 300 hours to help restore the church, said the grant money was insignificant.

"We raised most our money from local contributors," he said. "I think all the people in the community feel they did their part to get this building back in shape."

In 2003, the church was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Last month, St. Anne's Episcopal Church was the recipient of the Governor's Home Town Award.

The awards are presented to volunteers who undertake projects and initiatives that improve the quality of life in communities, said Jack Lavin, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development.

Forty-six projects, including the restoration of St. Anne's, were honored this year. Judges review and rank applications based on local need, volunteer participation and project continuity, which means PAST will continue work on the church, such as building a bathroom.

PAST's project received the title because the church was not only restored but now provides Anna residents with a community center for weddings, receptions, meetings and other activities, Lavin said.

"To be recognized for this was very humbling. We were very much surprised we won first place," Hileman said.

Last week, Diefenbach and other members of PAST stood inside the church admiring their work. The hardwood ceilings and floors are a rich brown. The original windows still sit in their frames. At the front of the church, a cross -- made from the original floor -- hangs from the wall.

"Any time you can save a little bit of history, it's such a wonderful feeling," Diefenbach said.

PAST has plans to restore an old house on West Chestnut Street in Anna to turn into a museum of Union County. They also want to raise funds to restore a fire tower built in 1937 at the Trail of Tears State Forest in Southern Illinois.

The organization will hold a "Winter Wonderland of Wreaths" fund-raiser at 6 p.m. Friday at the Davie Center in Anna. Decorated wreaths from area businesses will be auctioned off. Admission is $10 for appetizers and wine from local wineries.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246