GROUP HOPES FOR SEMINARY SUPPORT

While supportive of turning St. Vincent's Seminary into a museum and cultural center, Bob Steinberg believes that to successfully raise the needed funds the vision needs to be as defined as the amount of money sought.

"I think if you want to raise money you have to have specific reasons and not just say you want to fix this building," said Steinberg, one of more than 50 people who attended a public meeting Monday night at the seminary.

The Colonial Cape Foundation, the organization spearheading the seminary project, held the meeting to build organizational support and enlist volunteers for various aspects of the project.

Nine committees are being organized to tackle tasks including fund-raising strategies, historical research, use of buildings, public relations, and building and grounds maintenance. Out of the work of those groups, the foundation hopes to formulate a solid, overall plan for the future.

In addition to turning a portion of the seminary into a museum, there is discussion about uses of other areas to house music, dance, acting and art classes or meeting rooms. Proposed uses for the grounds range from Civil War re-enactments to weddings.

The seminary faces the Mississippi River and is at Morgan Oak and Lorimier streets. While some portions of the seminary are in usable condition, others will have to be renovated. The three connected buildings of the seminary were respectively built in 1843, 1851 and 1879. They were last used as a seminary in 1986.

The foundation would like to start renting the usable spaces to interested groups as soon as possible to build money for future renovation.

The Provincial Administration of Vincentian Fathers in St. Louis loaned the foundation $600,000 to purchase the property. On shaky financial ground, the foundation doesn't currently have the finances for any major renovation projects.

"Essentially, we're broke," said Kevin Spaeth, the foundation's attorney. "That is part of the reason we are here today, to get ready to kick off a capital campaign."

Spaeth, with the disclaimer that he was being facetious, said that the foundation is so far meeting its mortgage payments to the Vincentians and is covering its other bills. But that sizable drain on resources keeps the foundation from moving forward with some of its plans. He added that financially the foundation "needs the support of the community and people such as yourselves to get over that hump."

Numerous private donors already have contributed to the foundation to help it cover its expenses.

The foundation, a not-for-profit entity governed by a 15-member board of directors, plans to sell memberships for $25 per person.

"Membership will entitle you to vote for the board of directors and give you a voice in the governing of the foundation," Spaeth said.

The Cape Girardeau City Council recently endorsed applying for a $440,000 federal grant to aid the foundation with its purchase of the property. The city would provide $110,000 in matching funds if the grant is approved.

Anyone interested in serving on one of the committees involved with the seminary project should call the foundation at 339-1992.