Inaugural "Save Our Community House" Fundraiser Nets $40K

Cherry Grove's Save Our Community House campaign is off to a great start!

The Cherry Grove Community Association raised $40,000 for the Community House's long overdue renovation at the campaign's inaugural fundraiser on Saturday, June 4. "Pulling together to 'save our Community House' is the single most important thing that we can focus on as a community," CGCA President Diane Romano told The News. "It is 'our house'-for theater, parties, rehearsals, memorial services, church, yoga-or just sitting around talking or using wifi. It belongs to all of us and we all need to pitch in to restore and rebuild it."

As The News previously reported, an engineer concluded it would cost up to an estimated $300,000 to fix the decades-old Community House's structural deficiencies. The "Save Our Community House" campaign had raised $6,220 prior to the June 4 event. The CGCA contributed another $9,000 from its Community Honors program, while the CGCA Board and members of the Save Our Community House Committee have pledged an additional $75,000.

Romano said the entire renovation project could take up to five years and cost more than $500,000.

"We need help and support from every organization that supports community endeavors-theater, and gay theater," she said.