LCA Building Nears Completion

WINONA LAKE - Four years ago, Lakeland Christian Academy, Wooster Road, only dreamed of building a new school. Today, that dream is a reality.

"The LCA star is rising," Dave Turner, board chairman, said. He said they've been working intensely for the last four years, and now construction is nearly complete.

By Nov. 1, LCA will occupy its newly-constructed building on CR 250E. LCA, a private Christian school for grades seven through 12, is nearing completion of its new 60,000-square-foot building.

"If we build it, they will come," John Urschalitz said. He said part of the reasoning behind building a new, larger school is the increased demand for Christian education.

"We are one of the premier schools in Indiana," Urschalitz said. He said LCA offers "superior education and sports; teaching from a Christian perspective."

Urschalitz said the new building is due in part to new leadership by David Underwood, administrator, and Doug Hanes, director of development. "They're leading us from being a little school on a hill on Wooster Road to the Academy on CR 250E," Urschalitz said. "We're just thrilled that we're here."

He also said Warren Zellner, construction superintendent, is "what made this happen." He said the new school "has been his baby." "This building wouldn't be standing if it weren't for Warren Zellner," Urschalitz said.

Cost for the new school is approximately $3 million. But, Turner said, it would be appraised at nearly $8 million.

"There'll be odds and ends to do after Nov. 1," Don Clemens, LCA board secretary-treasurer, said. "But we'll be moved in."

Urschalitz said the ceilings are being finished and landscaping still needs to be completed.

"It's like moving from a trailer to Taj Mahal," Urschalitz said.

The new location has 34 acres, so there's plenty of room for expansion and athletic fields.

The new school also has a 79-foot by 99-foot gymnasium. Urschalitz said in the past LCA never had a gymnasium. They always rented space for athletic activities.

Currently the school has 150 students with the capacity for 350 students. He also said as the need for teachers arises, new staff will be hired "to support the growth of the school." But, he said, "our staff is set for this season."

The new school includes a computer lab, an art room, a chemistry lab, a music room with individual insulated practice rooms, a cafetorium (cafeteria and auditorium in one) and several other rooms.

"It's one of the largest in our area," Urschalitz said of the cafetorium. He said it can fit between 500 and 800 people. "We can make it available to the community," he said.

Urschalitz also said a softball and two soccer fields already have been planted, and the new school will have a special education clinic where students will attend for half a day and then will be mainstreamed the rest of the day. Turner said said students also will be able to study on an hourly program.

Underwood said the program has a three-to-one ratio of students to teachers and is for "kids that are several years behind in academics."

Urschalitz said the program is "not just babysitting," it's "specific training and special techniques."

Turner said the new school has 22 classrooms and all but six of them already have been endowed. He also said several local businesses and individuals donated items and time to the new school.

Urschalitz said people in the community have helped with donated labor. He said "very significant input" has been donated by the community. The new school was built with "gift income," he said. "We're going to be able to build this school separate from tuition."

Urschalitz also said a bus was donated and painted.

Part of the donations, he said, include volunteer work from SOWER, Servants On Wheels Ever-Ready.

He said SOWER is a "wonderful service" and "at least a dozen couples" have volunteered their time to work on the new school.

"Many couples come out and stay for one to three months and work for free," Urschalitz said. He also said SOWER volunteers come from all over the country.

"We go to a project and whatever that project needs is what we do," SOWER volunteer Shirley McFarland, Michigan, said. Linda Brower, originally of North Webster, also is donating her time to LCA through SOWER. Brower said she lives in a recreational vehicle full-time.

Turner said they're always looking for volunteers to help with general labor for the new school. And so far, he said, approximately 12,000 man-hours have been volunteered from the community and from SOWER members.

Turner said they're still raising funds and need approximately $600,000 more to be fully-funded.

Urschalitz said the new school complies with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Clemens said a community open-house will be held in the near future.

The architectural firm for the new steel-shell-building is Dan Cook and Associates from Odgen, Utah.

There are several sponsorship opportunities with LCA including the "build a room," "build a field," "furnishing a room" and "walk of honor" programs. With the "walk of honor" program, a $500 donation ensures the placement of a 4-inch by 8-inch brick at the main entrance to the building.

For more information, or to make a donation, contact LCA at 267-7265 or e-mail LCA at lca@kconline.com