Cornell gets $50,000 in gifts for King Chapel

MOUNT VERNON -- Three alumni have pledged a total of $50,000 toward the renovation Cornell College's historic King Chapel, the centerpiece of campus.

Joanne Findley, a 1950 graduate from Macomb, Ill., has pledged $25,000, as have Mark Hanawalt and his wife, Barbara Norton Hanawalt, both 1974 graduates from Waverly. The gifts will help the college's $2.5 million restoration of the campus icon.

This project will repair damaged exteriors, alleviate the effects of settling, and create a weather-tight building. It also will improve access by replacing the chair lift with an elevator.

Findley said nearly 60 years after graduating, she still remembers the chapel well. It was a key part of campus, she said, with students gathering for chapel services every day. Findley has other fond memories of King Chapel, including walking by and hearing a classmate practice on the organ.

“King Chapel has long been the icon of Cornell College,” said Peter Wilch, vice president for alumni and college advancement. “We want to ensure that future generations of Cornellians have the benefit of experiencing the chapel.”