SpringfieldNewsSun.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Susie Rastatter liked that the former Holy Trinity School could provide space for some of the Children's Rescue Center's programs.

The old rectory is a good home for the Kingdom House for single moms. And the center always wanted a gym for its youth programs.

The 1027 W. High St. campus also had another pull, said Rastatter, co-director of the rescue center.

"As we were on the property, there was a such a good feeling," Rastatter said.

The Road Sprinkler Fitters U.A. Local Union No. 669 shared that good feeling.

Children's Rescue Center bought the buildings in 2006 and later found out it would need to install a fire suppression sprinkler system in the gym building, a pricey proposition.

But the union agreed to donate the labor costs.

The center hired Central Fire Protection Co. to do the work despite the fact that the cost of the project would be an issue for the nonprofit ministry.

"The bottom line is there's never any money," Rastatter said.

Central Fire Project Manager Doug Gifford works with the children in his church and wanted to find a way to make the project more affordable.

"Whenever you help children, you're helping everybody," he said.

Gifford contacted the union's business agent, David Ford.

The union agreed within a day to donate the nearly $8,300 to cover the labor costs for the six workers.

"They're trying to help out the less fortunate," Ford said. "It's pretty easy to figure out from there."

The donation meant the center could move forward with its plans for the site, which it is calling the Kingdom Campus. It will be home to a free store, a teen center and T-shirt shop, and other programs.

"It was God's blessing," said Nancy Lutz, center co-director.

"We really did not have any money for this."

Vote for this story!