WE WILL HAVE MORE UPDATES ON THIS STORY COMING UP AT 5. A SCHOOL IN SOUTH BERWICK IS ASKING FOR THE COMMUNITY'S HELP AFTER A FIRE WIPED OUT THEIR GYM BACK IN MARCH. THEY'RE NOW FACING A HEFTY BILL TO REBUILD AND CAN'T COVER IT ALONE.. CONNOR CLEMENT HAS THE DETAILS FROM SOUTH BERWICK.. (CONNOR ON CAM) NEARLY SIX MONTHS AFTER A DEVASTATING FIRE DESTROYED WHAT WAS SEACOAST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL'S GYMNASIUM, THE REBUILDING PROCESS IS NOW IN FULL SWING.. (VO) TIM MONOHAN -- WHO RUNS THE SCHOOL REMEMBERS THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF MARCH 13TH VIVIDLY.. HE ARRIVED AT HIS SCHOOL TO FIND FLAMES ENGULFING THE GYM.. SINCE THE FIRE, THE GYM'S REMAINS HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED, AND THE SCHOOL IS NOW FOCUSED ON CONSTRUCTING A NEW FACILITY BY THE END OF MAY.. THE SCHOOL'S INSURANCE IS COVERING THE REPLACEMENT COST OF THE OLD GYM, WHICH IS ROUGHLY A MILLION DOLLARS..THE PROBLEM IS.. THAT'S ABOUT HALF OF THE PROJECTED COSTS FOR THE NEW ONE..THE SCHOOL HAS TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE, BUT IT'S A TALL TASK..IN SEPTEMBER, THE SCHOOL IS HOSTING A GALA THEY HOPE WILL BRING THEM CLOSER TO THEIR GOAL. 16;27;59-16;28;06 WE'RE INVITING ANY WHO WANT TO REALLY GIVE IN THAT WAY TO HELP US REBUILD. BUTTED 16;28;31-16;28;39 TO BE A PART OF THAT EVENT, WE'RE EMBARKING ON THE NEXT 40 YEARS AND WE HAVE THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH REBUILDING OUR GYM. AND SO I SEE THAT NIGHT AS A REALLY EXCITING NIGHT
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South Berwick school fundraising to rebuild gym that was destroyed in March fire
Nearly six months after the fire, the rebuilding process is underway for Seacoast Christian School, but new obstacles have emerged.
A school in South Berwick is reaching out for community help following a fire that destroyed its gymnasium in March.Nearly six months after the fire, the rebuilding process is underway for Seacoast Christian School, but new obstacles have emerged.Tim Monohan, who runs the school, recalls the early morning of March 13 vividly. "It was devastating," Monohan said. "But I always feel like when you have moments of devastation, you have opportunities to respond."The remnants of the old gym have been demolished, and the school is working towards completing a new facility by the end of May. Monohan emphasized the gym’s importance, saying, "The gym is sort of like the life source of what happens at a school—where recess happens, where sports happen. All the community comes together. And we lost it."The rebuilding effort is complicated by updated building codes and the need for a larger space, which require a redesign of the gym’s footprint and have significantly increased costs. "We have the plan. We’ve got the approval. And we're working on laying the foundation for next steps. Part of that is raising the funds," Monohan said.The school's insurance will cover the replacement cost of the old gym, approximately $1 million. However, this amount is only about half of the projected costs for the new facility. The school is working to make up the difference, but it remains a challenging task. "We had our biggest fundraiser of the year, but that's not enough," Monohan added.To help bridge the funding gap, Seacoast Christian School is hosting a gala in September, hoping to raise additional funds. Monohan invites those interested in supporting the project to attend. "We’re embarking on the next 40 years with this great opportunity to rebuild our gym. We see that night as an exciting chance to cast that vision," he said.For those interested in supporting the rebuilding efforts, contact the school directly or visit the school's website.
SOUTH BERWICK, Maine —
A school in South Berwick is reaching out for community help following a fire that destroyed its gymnasium in March.
Nearly six months after the fire, the rebuilding process is underway for Seacoast Christian School, but new obstacles have emerged.
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Tim Monohan, who runs the school, recalls the early morning of March 13 vividly. "It was devastating," Monohan said. "But I always feel like when you have moments of devastation, you have opportunities to respond."
The remnants of the old gym have been demolished, and the school is working towards completing a new facility by the end of May. Monohan emphasized the gym’s importance, saying, "The gym is sort of like the life source of what happens at a school—where recess happens, where sports happen. All the community comes together. And we lost it."
The rebuilding effort is complicated by updated building codes and the need for a larger space, which require a redesign of the gym’s footprint and have significantly increased costs. "We have the plan. We’ve got the approval. And we're working on laying the foundation for next steps. Part of that is raising the funds," Monohan said.
The school's insurance will cover the replacement cost of the old gym, approximately $1 million. However, this amount is only about half of the projected costs for the new facility. The school is working to make up the difference, but it remains a challenging task. "We had our biggest fundraiser of the year, but that's not enough," Monohan added.
To help bridge the funding gap, Seacoast Christian School is hosting a gala in September, hoping to raise additional funds. Monohan invites those interested in supporting the project to attend. "We’re embarking on the next 40 years with this great opportunity to rebuild our gym. We see that night as an exciting chance to cast that vision," he said.
For those interested in supporting the rebuilding efforts, contact the school directly or visit the school's website.
