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About a dozen people gathered in the basement kitchen of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills Saturday.
For several hours the group dismantled the 1950s kitchen and removed walls ahead of a $155,000 remodeling project that will improve the outdated kitchen.
From now until April, the kitchen will be transformed into an open concept commercial cook’s room with adjoining serving/buffet area and two handicapped-accessible bathrooms.
Planning began more than a year ago.
“We looked at our needs as a church and what’s in the community,” said Rebecca Spykerboer, who serves on the kitchen remodel committee.
“In Hills we don’t have a place where big meals can be prepared and big events at the same time.”
Once finished, the kitchen and adjoining fellowship hall (already remodeled) will be available to the public for rent.
Pastor Nita Parker said church members talked for several years about remodeling the kitchen and the one bathroom located in the east end of the basement.
Fundraising began last year to gauge interest, and enough money was raised to start the remodeling Saturday.
The committee is $40,000 from reaching the fundraising goal.
To stretch the budget, volunteers (like those gathered Saturday) will complete as many tasks as they can in the next couple of months until the project is finished through a contractor.
“Our hope is to have the work done by Easter,” Parker said.
The new kitchen and adjoining area will match the paint and wood finishes used in the fellowship hall.