Church donation was in fact just that
WHEN most people give to a community group they write a cheque.
The Fernvale Uniting Church, however, donated an entire building. The church building has been gifted to Fernvale Lions, who this weekend will move it across Clive St to its new home.
The church was the venue of the group's first-ever meeting when it was founded.
While the church and adjoining hall will be the first home the Fernvale Lions have ever had, they are opening the doors to other community groups.
Fernvale Lions president Peter Bennett said he was hoping the building would become a centre for a number of organisations.
"We'll of course have our meetings there, but other smaller groups will be quite welcome there too," he said.
"We're hoping things like yoga and art classes will be able to be run out of the building."
The land is due to be leased to the Lions from the Somerset Council and the group means to establish a park around the buildings.
Cr Jim Madden said he was pleased the council was able to help the Lions' work in Fernvale.
Uniting Church's Reverend Brian Kickbusch said a new building would house the combined Fernvale and Lowood Uniting congregation.
"We'll be putting a new church on this site to meet the needs of the 21st century," he said.
"We could have sold the building, but the few extra dollars we would have got out of that are nothing compared to what the community will get from having it stay in town.
"I'm really pleased we managed to work this out with the Lions and keep the building in town."
The church gift was accompanied by a donation of $18,000 from Fernvale Stellar Medical owner Dr Paul Crawley to shift it.
"I've seen all the great work the Lions have done in the Fernvale community so I wanted to do what I could to make sure this all went through," he said.
The buildings will be moved to their new site tomorrow morning.
