Community

Local Electrician Helps Cool Down Church

Aug 30, 2004

Thanks to a serendipitous meeting outside the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Mission, Maricopa resident Robert McCullough showed the initiative and goodwill that embodies the spirit of the community of Maricopa. Stopping by the church to make a donation, Mr. McCullough, owner of R. Dale Electric, Inc., introduced himself to fellow parishioner Rick Richter who was assessing the Mission’s electrical situation. The services of an electrician were all that was needed to blow in a new era for the church and Mr. McCullough immediately offered to help.

Members of St. Francis de Sales, a mission of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Casa Grande, have had to endure temperatures nearing 100 degrees – inside – during Mass as the Mission has not had air conditioning. A couple parishioners, including Mr. Richter, took it upon themselves to assist the Mission in securing air conditioning for the comfort and safety of parishioners and guests and overall wellbeing of the Mission.

“We’ve talked about having air conditioning for a long time and it’s great to finally have it,” said Deacon Barnabas Radke, the Mission’s pastoral administrator. “This should have a big impact on our church.”

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Jose Rivas (from left), Noel Cadorin, Dennis McCombs and Chris Rees of Chas Roberts installed three air conditioning units at St. Francis de Sales.Chas Roberts Air Conditioning provided the services at a significant discount and Mr. McCullough donated his expertise to ensure the completion of the project. Mr. McCullough just moved to Maricopa three months ago and said he offered to help because “it was something I could do and I was just trying to help the community and the church.”

While it might not be sweater-weather quite yet, you can bet that Sundays will be a lot more pleasant at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Mission.

Mr. Cadorin “getting his fingers dirty” at the Mission.

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A standing-room-only crowd of more than 130 people packed St. Francis de Sales for 9:30 Mass yesterday, the summer’s first service with air conditioning.