Main fundraiser photo

Restoration of Orthodox Chapel

We are seeking funds to restore the chapel at the St. George Pathfinders of America (SGPA) New York camp site, located in the Adirondack Mountains near the shores of Great Sacandaga Lake. The rustic chapel, dedicated to St. George, the patron Saint of SGPA, brings many children and young adults together under Russian Orthodoxy. It was Scoutmaster Alexey Zacharin's vision to restore the chapel, but unfortunately he passed away recently. Read below for more details.

Scoutmaster Alexey Zacharin



On July 6th, 2014 Scoutmaster Alexey Zacharin succumbed to cancer after a lengthy battle with the disease. Alexey was a highly decorated design engineer in the U.S. Army, having authored 57 patents and received the Meritorious Service Award. He also originated and completed extensive renovation and beautification projects in his parish of St. John the Baptist in Washington DC, where he served as assistant warden for many years.

But the universally beloved “Alyosha’s” principle work was done in St. George Pathfinders of America (SGPA), a Russian ethnic scouting organization, where he spent decades raising several generations of Russian Orthodox youth. Having risen to the rank of Scoutmaster, in 2009 he was elected Chief Scoutmaster of the entire organization outside of Russia, a post in which he served until 2012.

Alexey's Vision & the Reason for the Fund Raising Effort

Alexey was planning a complete renovation and restoration of the St George chapel at the New York scout camp location, but due to the late stage of his illness, he was unable to complete the project. Built in the 1960's by a group of dedicated scout leaders, including himself, the timeworn chapel has fallen into disrepair and is in dire need of a complete renovation. Alexey was an architect, a master engineer and a talented carpenter and had initiated the first stages of the project.

This fundraiser was established in honor of Alexey and to raise enough money for the complete restoration of the chapel as Alexey had envisioned. We will now need to hire an architect, an engineer and several carpenters. Since the chapel was built of wood and has been exposed to the elements for the last 47 years, we will need to lay a completely new foundation, build a new platform for the altar (right now our clergy has to watch their step lest they fall through broken floorboards) and completely replace the rotting cedar shingle roof. Additionally, Alyosha’s plan included extending the church roof over the choir and part of the nave, as currently campers who attend services are totally exposed to the elements.

St. George Pathfinders of America

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Russian Scout organization was banned and went into exile. However, the Russian Scout Movement continued in many countries where White Russian émigrés, fleeing from Communism, settled. Today the world-wide organization continues to grow and thrive. SGPA is very active in the United States and has four large chapters in Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. SGPA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All scout leaders are volunteers and receive no remuneration.


We would like to offer thanks in advance to all those who donate for their support and generosity. No amount is too little. All of the funds received will go directly to the restoration of the St. George chapel in New York.




Organizer

Nick Nedostupenko
Organizer
Bethesda, MD
ST GEORGE PATHFINDERS OF AMERICA
 
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.