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Groton Daily Independent
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018 ~ Vol. 25 - No. 223 ~ 6 of 52
Trinity makes US News & World Report
The story of the Groton Historic Trinity Church’s need for a new roof appeared in the US News & World Report on January 13, 2018. US News is one of the major national news magazines in the country, with a monthly online audience of over 20 million visitors and 120 million page views.
US News picked up the Trinity story from the Associated Press, which had picked it up from an Aber- deen News story in early January. Several South Dakota newspapers and radio stations also carried the Associated Press story, and eventually it ended up in the US News.
As a result of all this publicity, someone in Alaska mailed a $100 check addressed simply to “Groton Community Historical Society, Groton SD”, to help with the church roof repair project. The Society was very happy to receive this donation from so far away!
The Groton Community Historical Society (“GCHS”) was established as a nonpro t organization in 2016 to accept ownership of and responsibility for the church. They recently launched a capital campaign to raise matching funds needed to apply for a Deadwood Fund Grant to replace the church’s roof. The church was last roofed about 1975 by the Brown County Historical Society, which acquired the property then. Over the years shingles have blown off the South roof, and the branches of the gigantic tree overhanging the North roof have rubbed holes in that side. Water has seeped in, rotting and discoloring the roo ng boards and ceiling below.
The estimated cost of replacing the roof is $50,000. The rotted roo ng boards will have to be replaced along with the shingles, and the huge tree on the North side will have to be severely trimmed or removed. GCHS is required to provide $25,000 in matching funds or in-kind labor in order to qualify for a $25,000 grant.
Donations for the project may be made by dropping checks payable to GCHS at City Hall, or mailing them to GCHS, PO Box 373, Groton, or depositing them directly to the GCHS account at First State Bank, Groton. All donations are fully tax deductible.
A booklet about the church’s history, architecture and need for a new roof is available for review at the Groton City Hall or online at http://www.city.grotonsd.gov/forms/Booklet.pdf