For the past five years, Manitowoc Lutheran High School has been working towards a major expansion project, which is now well underway.
Fundraising for the expansion began in 2018 as the school aims to add a brand-new gymnasium on the northeast corner of the building, located at 4045 Lancer Circle.
Director of Mission Advancement Kevin Buch, who is now in charge of the fundraising for the project, tells Seehafer News that there have been some setbacks since the fundraising began.
“Right at the end of 2018, the man that started the project passed away. Scott Reinhart was his name,” Buch explained. “I now am doing what he is doing, but I just started this year because we had somebody else that did it for a couple of years. We had a lot of shifting around.”
The project consists of the aforementioned gymnasium, but also an expanded parking lot, and a new storm pond.
Communications Director Paul Durkee says the new gym is not only a major want for the school, it is a necessity.
“Our gym is scheduled for use 350 days a year, and that’s outside of classroom use,” he noted. “We have three teams practicing going until 8:30 at night. Some kids have basketball practice and then they have music afterwards. One of the blessings of being such a small school is that our kids get to do a lot, but that’s also that kids do a lot.”
With the foundation in place for the gym, Durkee says there is a real buzz in the student body.
“They are pumped,” he said. “The seniors are excited, disappointed that they won’t get to use the gym. The Juniors are excited because they hope it will be ready for next year. The sophomores and freshmen are like, ‘This is going to be our gym.’”
The project is expected to cost between $8 and $9 million.
With the money they have currently raised, the gym will be finished, and the shell of the locker room will be constructed.
But, as Buch explained, “If the Lord blesses us with enough financial donations,” the school will be able to afford to finish the locker rooms, hopefully ahead of the start of the next basketball season.
If not, the locker rooms will have to wait another year or two to be completed.
