People’s Arc of Suffolk donates $1,000 to restore belltower at historic church

People’s Arc of Suffolk donated $1,000 to St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Sayville on Wednesday, August 5 to support the restoration of its historic belltower, originally constructed along with the church in 1887.

“It’s something that we’re known by. We’re the little stone church with the belltower,” said Rev. Susan Ellinghaus, deacon, St. Ann’s Episcopal Church. “It peals out every hour, with a beautiful sound. And we want it to last another 200 years.”

The donation was made possible through proceeds raised from People’s Arc of Suffolk’s annual Shark Tank Showdown fundraiser, held in March at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead.

“The fact that we can give some of that money back for something as important as a historical belltower in our town, that makes our hearts sing. Like a belltower!” said Heather Thorgersen, chief program officer, People’s Arc of Suffolk.

For the past year the organization has worked with the church on a variety of community-based programs, including a soup kitchen and food pantry, the church’s thrift shop and other volunteer initiatives.