CEO of California company creates fundraiser to help restore church once attended by Harriet Tubman.
A California company is looking to help restore a local church where Harriet Tubman once worshipped.
Ray Adamyk, founder and CEO of Spectra, has launched a Go Fund Me campaign in hopes of raising $3 million to restore the Salem Chapel BME Church on Geneva Street in St. Catharines.
Adamyk, who grew up in St. Catharines, says he feels connected to Tubman, and feels it is important to maintain the monument.
"If we don't preserve Salem Chapel, we will lose the physical monument to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad in Canada. We will also lose her legacy and message of sacrifice and service for others, and the unification of communities will be diminished"
Tubman attended the church in the 1850s after escaping slavery in the American south and helping free slaves via the Underground Railroad.
Church officials say a lot of renovations need to be done in order to fully restore the 165 year old church to its historical landmark status, and a construction partner with expertise in historical reconstruction is necessary.
Last year, the federal government awarded the church $100,000 for repairs to help preserve the site.
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