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Lariccias give cash to help 2 churches
Two churches in the Mahoning Valley have benefited from the generosity of philanthropists Tony and Mary Lariccia of Boardman.
The couple donated $260,000 to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 343 Via Mount Carmel, Youngstown, where they are members, and $50,000 to Ellsworth Presbyterian Church.
“I feel it’s the right thing to do," Tony Lariccia said. “Without God, where would we be?”
Tony Lariccia said he and his wife read the story on The Vindicator’s Religion page July 4 about the situation faced by Ellsworth Presbyterian. The landmark church near the intersection of Ohio 45 and U.S. 224 was featured in an article on its Save Our Steeple campaign.
The bell tower was damaged in a windstorm Sept. 14, 2008, and had begun to lean. Members of the church learned that the tower and the bell, with an estimated weight of 750 pounds, would have to come down and be rebuilt. The initial estimate was $43,000 — a big sum for the 83-member country church.
“My wife and I read the story ... this church is part of our Valley history,” Tony Lariccia said. “This church was here when people got around by horse and buggy.”
“We realize these are tough times, and the church was facing its own tough time,” he said.
Sherry Weamer, co-chairwoman of the fund-raising committee with Kriss Yeager, said she received a call from Tony Lariccia at 7:30 a.m. July 6. “He told me he had a check for the church and to come and get it,” Weamer said. She went to Lariccia’s office at Smith Barney in Canfield.
“I was shocked at the amount ... I was dumbfounded,” Weamer said. She said she drove to Lariccia’s office, where he gave her the check.
Weamer said the exchange didn’t take long, but the funds will make a difference in the long term for the church. “He was very nice,” Weamer recalled of the meeting. “He asked that we restore the tower because of its historical significance.”
The tower, built when the church was constructed in 1833, is estimated at 60 feet. A crane will be required to dismantle it.
“What a blessing,” Weamer said of the Lariccias’ donation. “It’s a huge weight off our shoulders.”
Word of mouth was spreading the good news among members, she said. “We are so very grateful.”
Weamer added that church members will continue in fundraising efforts because the final cost of the project is still undetermined. She said the church has raised $8,750 so far. The SOS committee sent out letters to area businesses, organizations and individuals apprising them of the tower predicament. For donations of $250 or more, donors’ names will be listed on a plaque. For more information, contact Weamer at (330) 538-3771 or the church at (330) 547-2977.
Monsignor Michael Cariglio, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, said the Lariccias’ donation is a lifesaver. The funds will go toward a new roof on the social hall and four classrooms.
“The church is extremely grateful,” he said.
Monsignor Cariglio announced the donation at Masses over the weekend and in the church bulletin.
Last year, the Lariccias donated $135,000 for a bronze statue by sculptor Tom Antonishak of Poland. On June 27, 2008, the statue was unveiled in a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the church. The statue, which commemorates the Italian immigrant experience, is a highlight on the church grounds.
linonis@vindy.com