VICENZA, Italy--A long-awaited spiritual education facility is finally coming to fruition, and the U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains visited Oct. 30 to tour the facility here and concur with final paperwork.
Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Paul K. Hurley, chief of chaplains, came to Vicenza to meet with Chaplain (Maj.) James Foster, garrison chaplain, U.S. Army Garrison Italy, and Grace Yeuell, religious education program director, Installation Management Command-Europe.
Hurley was pleased to hear about the progress and visit Building 395, which will be used for religious education for children of all ages as well as adult programs such as Bible study, seminars and workshops. The building is located just behind the Italian Mensa and the Arena.
"This is an enhancement to our mission," Hurley said. "It's not just a venue; it's a multiplier to the Chaplain Corps' lines of effort. And it could not have happened without the partnership and support of the members of the garrison command group, who are committed to taking care of Soldiers and families."
Yeuell, who works out of Sembach, Germany, said she began the process to find such a building six years ago when there was no ideal place to facilitate religious education on the installation. Vicenza elementary and middle schools were sharing their space, but when they moved to Villaggio, it was time to look elsewhere.
"I spent a lot of time walking around and looking at spaces," said Yeuell. "When the Child Development Center vacated Building 395, I asked if we could use some space. We created a memorandum of understanding with Child and Youth Services, helped clear it out and clean it, and then we salvaged some of the school's old furnishings."
Thus began the effort to designate an official location dedicated to religious education on Caserma Ederle.
"Hundreds of the faithful come through the doors each week," Yeuell said. "We wanted a permanent location to say 'we welcome you, we are expecting you.' We have the commander's commitment to dedicate this building, and it's now being coded as an official Religious Education Facility."
Thus the general's visit, added Foster, who said Hurley was here in his capacity as chief of chaplains to concur the coding redesignation. Foster went on to discuss what will happen now.
"Ultimately, by 2017, the building will be totally renovated," Foster said. "Right now we begin the process of creating a facility that will meet our specific needs. Now that concurrence is finished, all of the pieces have come together, and the initial design phase begins."
Designing a flexible space is important, said Yeuell and Foster, as the building will bring together children and adults of all faiths and all ages for weekend and mid-week programs. Being able to transition the space to accommodate everyone's needs is vital to success.
"I am grateful that the command team has committed to the need for faith formation in this community," Foster said. Yeuell agreed.
"Having the commander's and community's commitment says to me that, yes, finally it's happening," she said. "It's finally happening, and it's exciting."
Design on the building will be solidified mid-2016, and renovation begins next fall.
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