<div>In lieu of flowers, the family is collecting donations toward the time-sensitive restoration of the historic <strong>St. Francis de Sales Church, </strong>Elka Park, NY (1912).
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Structural elements are actively threatening the building and require immediate emergency repairs. </strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>A family heritage memorial will be established in Fred’s name to contribute to the immediate &amp; ongoing preservation of this Catskill landmark, as well as the regional heritage of the Showers Family and associated Catskill High Peaks history, culture, &amp; wilderness</strong> (a timely priority as the region continues to experience rapid development).
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_178615294985966_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This historic Catskill Mountain structure—which is located at the beautiful site of Fred's final resting place, and will be viewable at his fall interment—was designed and built by his grandfather, Arthur J. Showers (1912), using regional lumber, unique handcrafted and regionally historic architectural techniques, and traditional German motifs.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_1786152871923658_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We had hoped to use this church for reception services in honor of Fred’s roots, but learned that it is currently closed for use due to its condition, with a <strong>leak in the roof</strong> actively threatening the hand-built/carved wooden interior and structure. It also is likely in need of, and overdue for, a full historic wood shingle siding replacement—(<em>I do indeed remember my 85-year-old father speeding off to assess the building from the outside, upon our recent pilgrimage to the cemetery, and grumbling about how it was not in good shape)—</em> The church is currently in the process of application for the national historic registrar, but <strong>it is incurring damage and is in time-sensitive need of immediate restoration/repairs to ensure its ongoing preservation.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_1786152654809435_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><a href="https://buildingsofnewengland.com/2023/06/15/st-francis-de-sales-church-elka-park-1912/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click Here for </a><strong><a href="https://buildingsofnewengland.com/2023/06/15/st-francis-de-sales-church-elka-park-1912/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MORE ABOUT THE BUILDING</a></strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_1786151908917808_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>As the small, but passionate community parish that oversees this historic site &amp; associated cemetery has extremely limited resources, <strong>we have decided to collect donations towards a family heritage legacy fund in Fred’s name, with the primary initial goal of helping to ensure the immediate stabilization of the church: to repair &amp; protect this traditionally crafted community, family, &amp; cultural heritage structure, for the enjoyment &amp; education of current &amp; future generations.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_1786152238232762_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We believe this is deeply in alignment with Fred's:
</div>
<ul>
<li>innate sense of service to community (&amp; practicality)
</li>
<li>love of his family, his hometown, of historic touchstones, &amp; of his Swiss-Irish roots
</li>
<li>his lifelong exploration, work in, and passion for engineering/structural architecture and hands-on construction (both of which were inherited, time-honored, multigenerational Showers occupations, particularly in regards to the region’s history with lumber)
</li>
<li>and his parting desire for the main focus and resources of his on-site memorial to be put toward an inclusive Family Heritage Memorial for the whole family (past and future) versus being just focused on him (after first joking, of course, that he wanted the biggest headstone).
</li>
</ul>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Because if Fred were alive, after some receptive contemplation, a quiet stroke of his chin, and perhaps some observational pacing, he would simply say: <strong>“Fix the roof.”</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_1786152281273159_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><em>NOTE: This is a secular, community-based endeavor to help support and work alongside the local parish as the stewards of this historic site, in addressing immediate preservation and repair needs. Funds here are guided and managed exclusively by the discretion of Fred's immediate family. This initiative is inclusive, and focused on honoring family heritage, regional history, craftsmanship, and shared legacy, independent of any religious or political affiliation or endorsement.</em>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>More info / images will be added as fundraising progresses.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="null" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_1786142572441717_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="null" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/106790121_1786139320631908_r.jpg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Photos:
</div>
<div>(see Arthur J. Showers (center, seated, in waistcoat) with Showers Family, including union civil war vet father George Showers, over left shoulder...a carpenter known for wrestling bears. Homestead shown is that of George Showers)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>BW photos taken by Oscar Showers, early 20th.C, from <a href="https://mths.org/archives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wiltse-Dunn Collection</a> )
</div>

Joseph Nemeth

Donald Costello

F. M. Showers Legacy Heritage Fund

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

Influencer - Prod

US fundraisers and US users

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

F. M. Showers Legacy Heritage Fund

Still $7,450 to go. Help us build momentum.