Fundraiser to help make Okotoks church more accessible

Efforts to make Grace Lutheran Church in Okotoks more accessible will continue with a dinner/silent auction fundraiser next month. 

Mark Thomson has been spearheading a campaign to install an elevator lift to make the basement of the Waldron Avenue church accessible to all. 

Thomson began fundraising about 18 months ago with a garage sale and followed that up with a silent auction/Christmas sing-along last year and a concert with Doug Rawling this spring. 

He’s now organized a dinner/silent auction that will be held at the church on Saturday, Dec. 2 that will feature a meal consisting of beef on a bun, salads and pie for dessert. 

The silent auction portion will include items from more than 30 local businesses, including hockey, baseball and movie tickets, restaurant gift cards, brewery tour and much more. 

Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 each and available via e-transfer at grace.lutheran.2017@gmail.com (put name and number of tickets in the comment box). Tickets are also available at the Western Wheel office (cash only). 

Ticket deadline is Thursday, Nov. 30. 

Thomson was originally raising money for a ramp, but has since learned that’s not feasible space-wise, so the project has morphed into an elevator lift.  

“I want to see our building accessible to everyone,” he said. “I’ve seen people who can’t come to church because of temporary disabilities like a broken leg or recovering from surgery. And there are also elderly people who may have trouble with the stairs and, of course, people with permanent mobility issues.” 

Thomson said making the church fully accessible will not only benefit the congregation but also the many user groups that rent the space. 

He said anyone with mobility issues that can’t navigate the stairs to the basement is unable to access the hall used for fellowship activities and rented out for various functions and classes. The church’s washrooms are also located in the basement. 

Fundraising and donations have exceeded $8,000 thus far, but still have a long way to go as the elevator lift is anticipated to cost $130,000. Thomson said they will also pursue grants to help finance the project. 

He’s extremely grateful for a growing list of donors and for the support of the leaders at Foothills Advocacy in Motion.