After years of praying, months of fundraising, weeks of waiting, it all came together on Tuesday, and The Paulding Exempted Character Academy (PECA) received permission to start on the PECA Oakwood Building!! Thursday morning December 14th, PECA held a Groundbreaking Ceremony at the Oakwood site (317 First Street Oakwood, Ohio) which was very well attended by the PECA Board, Schimmoeller Construction Inc., LifeWise Paulding Exempted Teachers, LifeWise Paulding Exempted Volunteers, Paulding Exempted School Administration, Oakwood Elementary Students, Oakwood Village Representatives, Oakwood Community Church Leadership and Oakwood Community Members.
During the Groundbreaking Ceremony Kevin Stahl, PECA Board President, shared a few words about the project and his thankfulness for the support and donations of the Oakwood Community that are making the building possible. Then Traci Koenig, LifeWise Paulding Exempted Director, expressed her excitement that the LifeWise Paulding Exempted – Oakwood Elementary Students will have a building that is closer to the school, a sentiment shared by the LifeWise Classroom Volunteers, and will allow LifeWise Paulding Exempted to move forward with its mission to share the gospel with public school students. Chuck Moran, LifeWise Paulding Exempted – Oakwood Elementary Teacher prayed for the project, construction workers, students, and ministry that will leave a legacy in this community. The ceremony ended with Kevin Stahl, Traci Koenig and Jackie Schimmoeller turning over the first shovels of dirt for the project.
A Groundbreaking attendee commented, “This is the most exciting thing to happen in Oakwood since I have been alive!”
Shortly after the Groundbreaking Ceremony, Schimmoeller Construction Inc. began working and construction is officially underway. If the weather is good through the winter, PECA Oakwood should take 6 months to complete. The Paulding Exempted Character Academy and LifeWise Paulding Exempted plan to have a Grand Opening in August as the LifeWise Paulding Exempted – Oakwood Elementary students officially begin holding classes in the building for the 2024-2025 school year.
