Special Appeal ~ Storm Damage

Dear Faithful of Sts. Constantine & Helen,

Yesterday's severe storms left a visible mark on our parish campus. Several of the mature trees that have stood watch over our church grounds since our community first established itself in Palos Hills suffered significant damage. Large limbs were lost, some trees must now be removed entirely for safety reasons, and several exterior light fixtures were damaged in the storm. Mercifully, our building appears to have been spared from any significant damage.

As many of you have already seen, the cleanup effort is substantial. In the coming days and weeks, we will incur significant costs for emergency tree removal, debris cleanup, stump grinding, and restoration of damaged areas throughout our property. We are especially grateful to members of the Parish Council's Maintenance Committee, Telly Visvardis and Pete Kaftanzis, for their prompt attention and leadership in assessing the damage and coordinating the initial response. We also extend our sincere thanks to our landscaping contractors, who arrived early this morning to clear debris and restore safe access to our parking lots, and to Koula Stavrou for her vigilance and immediate attention to the areas of the building affected by water intrusion. Their dedication and willingness to respond quickly helped minimize further damage and ensured that our campus remained safe and accessible for all.

At the same time, we are facing another unexpected challenge. One of the HVAC compressors serving our facilities has failed and must be replaced immediately. Because of the size and location of the equipment, the replacement will require a crane and specialized contractors. The anticipated cost is between $18,000 and $20,000. Unfortunately, this is not an insurable loss and must be borne entirely by the parish.

Like every family, our parish occasionally faces unexpected expenses that cannot be postponed. We are blessed to have inherited a beautiful 17-acre campus from those who came before us—a sacred place where generations have worshiped, learned, celebrated, and found comfort in times of need. We also bear the responsibility of preserving and maintaining this campus for future generations.

Accordingly, I am asking those who are able to join me and make a special gift to help offset these unplanned expenses. No gift is too small. Whether your contribution helps remove a fallen tree, restore damaged lighting, or support the replacement of the HVAC equipment that keeps our facilities operational year-round, every gift will make a meaningful difference. The total cost of these unforeseen repairs is expected to exceed $30,000. Our goal is to raise these funds as quickly as possible so that the necessary work can be completed without delaying other ministries, programs, and initiatives that serve our parish family and the broader community.

You may make your donation online by following this link and selecting special appeal ~ storm damage form the drop down or through a special offering that will be collected following Divine Liturgy until the end of June (or earlier upon meeting our goal). This special appeal will remain open through the end of June, or until our goal is met, whichever comes first.

Our parish has always responded generously when needs arise. Time and again, this community has demonstrated that when challenges arise, we come together to meet them with faith, generosity, and resolve. Thank you for your continued stewardship, your prayers, and your commitment to the future of Sts. Constantine & Helen. With God's help, and with the support of this faithful community, we will meet these needs and continue the work entrusted to us by those who came before us.

With Gratitude,

George Lattas
President, Parish Council
Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church