OACS News Service

Fundraising campaign for OACS building underway
New location to include heritage hall
Friday February 29, 2008 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
A fundraising campaign for a building for the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools (OACS) offices is underway. The campaign was started last fall and the goal is to raise the bulk of $1 million by December, 2008.

The OACS has leased the current site of its offices for the past nine years. That property has now been sold to a developer.

Dr. Adrian Guldemond, executive director, says the hope is to move into the new building, which is located at 790 Shaver Road in Ancaster, by the end of the year.

Somewhat larger than the former location, the new building will allow for the inclusion of a heritage hall.

“We’re quite excited about that because right now nothing like it exists anywhere,” says Guldemond.

The plan is to make alterations to the building in the summer of 2009 and then develop the heritage hall, which will be a type of museum for the Christian school movement in Ontario. It will be available for public visits and use.

“We hope to have enough space to have not just the records stored but also a good picture collection of the good old days,” says Guldemond.

The campaign has been called Ensuring A Strong Legacy, to reflect the heritage component.

About $200,000 has been brought in to date. The OACS development team is focusing on traditional Christian school supporters as well as a number of corporations and foundations.

The OACS is also in the process of developing a dedicated web section to raise awareness of the campaign further. The section will provide a format for highlighting its development as new donations and pledges come in. It should also make it easier for people to donate, says Guldemond. The new section is to be online sometime in March.

In the meantime, people interested in more information or in making donations may contact the co-chairs of the fundraising campaign, Clarence Louter or Bruce Dykstra at (905) 648-2100.

The goal is to raise 70 per cent of the $1 million by year’s end with the remainder in 2009, says Guldemond.

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