Friends of St. Mary’s

Following the decommissioning of St. Mary’s Church and its purchase by the Indian River Festival in 2009, the Friends of St. Mary’s was formed by a group of local residents to support the restoration of this historic building.  We are a non-profit charitable foundation. Our mandate is to work in partnership with  the Festival to ensure that the church is preserved, as much as possible, in its original state.

Our major fundraisers include Christmas concerts that have been very successful. In 2015 we hosted two wonderful concerts, an afternoon performance of local talent, and an evening event featuring Tom Jackson’s Huron Carole tour. In addition to the Christmas concerts, wedding revenue and visitor donations support our cause. The Friends apply for funding, when available, to provide summer employment for a local student. This enables St. Mary’s to be open for longer time periods in the summer allowing visitors to explore this beautiful historic and cultural site.

Since we are a non-profit charitable foundation, our revenue is used to assist the Indian River Festival in preserving St. Mary’s Church. To date, our fundraising efforts have paid for the extensive repair and painting done of the interior of the church. In 2015 the Friends hired Starla and Ryan Wilson of Shiny Paint Art Company to restore six of the large statues. This year, funds will be directed to the repair and painting of the hallway leading to the redesigned washroom area. We will continue to support further restoration projects as they arise.

Anyone who wishes to become a member of Friends of St. Mary’s or to make a donation to help with our work is invited to contact us. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20. 00 or more. Memberships ($15.00) are not tax deductible. Please include your name and address so appropriate acknowledgement may be given.

Any donations or memberships can be emailed or mailed to:

Friends of St. Mary’s
P.O. Box 671
Kensington, PE
C0B 1M0

Thank you for your continued interest in St. Mary’s. Please feel free to share this information with any family or friends who might be interested.