Koinonia held its annual Corporation meeting Sunday afternoon, February 9, 2020, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, New Rochelle, NY, Rev. William Damrow, pastor.
Corporation members heard many positive reports. In 2019, significant financial gifts to the ministry were made, volunteers contributed many hours of work and a second-opinion mold report gave hope to repairing the buildings. The expectation is that the Camp will begin again its ministry in 2020.
Several resolutions were passed. One thanked the Board for its outstanding service during a period of crisis. Another established a one-year eight-member Transitional Board of Directors that will focus on mission development, strategic planning, and fundraising. Assisting the new Board will be a separate management team, chaired by Carol Bliefernich, that will tend to day to day operations. A third authorized the interim Board to borrow up to $500,000 to remediate the mold, do repairs and prevention, and fund reopening costs.
Carol Bliefernich, outgoing Board president, Rev. Bob Wollenburg, the Interim Board president, and many others expressed enthusiasm for the future. Remediation of the mold has a financial plan that is manageable - a team of licensed professionals will remove the mold, help with the repairs and put in place preventive measures. Once done, the buildings will be safe and ready for occupancy.
Old and new leadership at Koinonia are working on securing the loan. Two sources are being explored, one locally and another through our church relationships, the Mission Investment Fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The timeline for reopening is “in process”. There will be a better sense when more details about the loan are known, when more information is gathered and when remediation proceeds along a predictable schedule. Remediation will not begin until Koinonia secures a loan and has a repayment plan. After remediation independent testing must clear all buildings of mold. Necessary repairs must then be made before buildings can be occupied.
The Koinonia community asks for your prayers of support as steps are taken to return this ministry to Christ and the church.
Please visit www.koinoniany.org as more information is posted.