JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1019 Report
As insurance claims get sorted and debris is removed from what is left of St. James Anglican Church in Hudson following a devastating fire that destroyed much of the 182-year-old building last month, residents are showing their support to ensure the landmark is restored through generous donations and a variety of initiatives.
“The church is very important to everyone in Hudson,” said Janet Ellerbeck, the founder of the NOVA thrift shops, which donated $5,456. The amount collected from sales from its boutiques on Saturday, May 4.
“It’s a great, great loss to the town to suddenly lose a beautiful church,” Ellerbeck added. “People go there for exercises, have meetings there. It’s a social hub where everybody meets everybody.”
The Bunker thrift shop plans to donate the proceeds of its sales on Saturday, May 11, in a similar fashion.
A GoFundMe page organized on behalf of St. James has also raised thousands of dollars toward restoration efforts.
“The Parish of Vaudreuil and the surrounding communities are coming together in support of rebuilding this 182-year-old historic building,” reads the GoFundMe page. As of yesterday, $8,150 has been raised.
The majority of donors have contributed between $100 and $200. A few donors, who have chosen to remain anonymous, have committed $1,000 to the cause.
This generosity demonstrates how the community has been “rallying behind us,” said St. James’ Reverend Sophie Rolland.
“It’s the generosity of the people of Hudson who are very well known for their volunteer work and for community awareness and wanting to support their own community, and just the love that they have for St. James,” Rolland said.
Hudson Mayor Chloe Hutchison said she is not surprised to see the support the community has shown for the institution.
“I’m sure that we’ll see many of these (initiatives) through the next months and possibly more,” she told The 1019 Report: “I think it’s just very much a part of who people are in Hudson. They come together. They support each other. They believe in community. And, as they say, they will rise above the occasion.”
Hutchison added that the municipal government remains solidly in support of St. James’ restoration efforts.
“We have sent every signal saying anything that they need, anything that’s not covered (by insurance), know that we are here, and that for us, heritage is very important.”