Old Lutheran Church – Franklin Preservation

Tiki BBQ Party and Concert Fundraiser

Join us on Saturday, August 27th at the Old Lutheran Church for a night of cool blues and hot rock at the 3rd Annual TIKI BBQ PARTY! Bring a lawn chair for the outdoor BBQ party from 5-7 PM. The concert, featuring the Underworld Blues Band benefits the restoration of the 1886 former church building. Admission by donation. BYOB.

Poster for the Tiki BBQ Party and photo of two guitar players from the Underworld Blues Bsnd

From 7-9 PM , Gaetano Letizia & the Underworld Blues Band will treat the audience to their inspired fusion of blues, rock, funk, jazz, and pop inside the former Old Lutheran Church. The band’s high energy performance of classic blues rock will make you want to get up and dance.

Sponsored by Benjamin’s Roadhouse, Edward Jones, Ace of Diamonds Author – Jim Bushee, Clarion County Community Bank, Jones Party Rental, Myers Woodworking and Moonlight Packaging.

New Grant Funds Fuel Next Phase of Restoration

The former Old Lutheran church with a new roof and gutters. The church tower is under construction

Franklin Preservation has received a second PA Keystone Grant in the amount of $30,000 to continue work on the front facade of 1101 Buffalo Street. Contractors will soon be replacing deteriorated clapboards, decorative shingles and raised “stick” work.. The first PA Keystone Grant put a new roof and gutters and downspouts on the building. After the wood on the facade of former church has been repaired, the building will be painted

Donations Make a Difference!

Due to the pandemic, Franklin Preservation could not hold fundraisers and as a result, our funds are limited. Despite that, we utilized grant money and donations which allowed us to continue renovations on the former Lutheran Church in 2020. There is a new roof and gutters, a new entrance roof and a solid tower structure. Take a look as you drive by.

Bridge Builders Week of Giving is coming up from March 15 –19. Please consider renewing your membership at that time or just consider a donation. The website can be found below. Monies raised during this time are accrued into a larger pool and individual organizations not only receive their specific donations but also a share of the matched funds. Donations via check should be made out to BBCF and in the memo line state Week of Giving Franklin Preservation. Checks must be received by March 19 to be included in the matching funds. www.bbcfgives.org

Keystone Grant features photos of Franklin Preservation’s work

The Pennsylvania Keystone Fund used the work on the Former Old Lutheran Church as an example of how to submit photos while requesting funding. You can check out the article by clicking the link. https://pahistoricpreservation.com/new-year-keystone…/

Franklin Preservation received a matching Keystone grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for the replacement of the roof, the installation of new gutters and downspouts and the restoration of the soffit and fascia.

Old Lutheran Church Tower reconstruction is underway!

Church tower under reconstruction. July 2019

Thanks to our generous donors, we have been able to begin the restoration of the Church Tower. Franklin Preservation was also awarded a $27,000 matching grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to be used to replace the roof. See our newsletter below for more information. If you are viewing the newsletter on a computer , click on it to enable the scrolling controls. To view the newsletter in full screen, click on the 4 way arrows on the bottom tool bar.

Newletter-July-2019